What is the story about?
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will be in India from May 23-26, to discuss energy security, trade, and defense cooperation. This will be Rubio’s first
visit to the country since assuming office in the second term of Donald Trump as US President. However, breaking the usual pattern, Rubio’s visit will begin in Kolkata instead of New Delhi.
Why Marco Rubio Will Flag Off India Visit From Kolkata
Kolkata holds a special place for Americans as it is the first Indian city which houses the first and second oldest American consulates in the world. US President George Washington had appointed Benjamin Joy of Newburyport as the first US counsel to Kolkata on November 19, 1792.
According to the US Embassy and Consulate in India, Benjamin Joy had arrived in India in 1794 but was never recognized by the British East India Company.
But Joy’s appointment as the first counsel to Kolkata (then Calcutta), officially marked the beginning of the US engagement with India.
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The consulate was located in Kolkata’s Ho Chi Minh Sarani Street and focussed on American interests in several Indian states — including West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura.
Ahead of Rubio’s visit, the US Consulate General in Kolkata reposted a post from Ambassador Sergio Gor, that reads, "The US Consulate General Kolkata, America's second oldest diplomatic post in the world, plays a vital role in strengthening ties across India, including the growing east and northeast. Glad to engage with our Consulate community in Kolkata and get to know the City of Joy."
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in India has already put out a post, welcoming Rubio ahead of his visit, saying, "The US Embassy in India looks forward to welcoming Secretary Rubio for his first visit to India, ministerial Quad meetings, high-level engagements, and celebrating 250 years of America."
Rubio’s visit to Kolkata will be the first by a US Secretary of State in almost fourteen years. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Kolkata in 2012. Later in 2016, the US Under Secretary for Political Affairs Thomas A. Shannon Jr. had visited Kolkata.
Apart from Kolkata, Rubio will travel to Agra, Jaipur, and then New Delhi.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott informed on X that Secretary Rubio will travel to India from May 23-26, where he will visit Kolkata, Agra, Jaipur, and New Delhi. He will participate in bilateral meetings with senior Indian officials and leadership.
Rubio Says Ready To Expand Energy Exports With Great Partner India
Ahead of the visit, Marco Rubio on Thursday said that the United States is ready to sell as much energy as India is willing to buy. Speaking to reporters in Miami, Rubio described India as a “great partner” and said his visit was important as it would give him an opportunity to meet with the ministers from the Quad nations.
“Well, we want to sell them as much energy as they'll buy. And obviously, you've seen I think we're at historic levels of US production, and US export,” Rubio told reporters in Miami as he embarked on the trip to Sweden and India.
“We want to be able to do more. We were already in talks with them to do more. We want them to be a bigger part of their portfolio. We also think there are opportunities with Venezuelan oil,” Rubio said.
He was responding to a question about India being affected by high energy prices due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, amid the Iran war.
Rubio described India as a "great partner" and said his visit to New Delhi was important as it would also give him an opportunity to meet with ministers from the Quad nations.
“They are a great ally, a great partner. We do a lot of good work with them. And so it is an important trip. I'm glad we're able to do it because I think there'll be a lot for us to talk about,” Rubio said.
“We'll also meet with Quad there, which is important. I think my first meeting as Secretary of State was with the Quad. I'm glad we are able to do it now in India and we're going to do one later in the year as well,” Rubio said.
Venezuela Acting President Delcy Rodriguez May Also Visit India
Marco Rubio has said that the acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez will also be traveling to India next week, and there will be many opportunities to work with New Delhi.
“In fact, it's my understanding that the interim president of Venezuela will be traveling to India next week as well. So, there are opportunities. There's a lot to work on with India,” Rubio said in a statement.
Rubio to Attend Quad Meeting on May 26
The Quad meeting is planned for May 26, and it is scheduled to be attended by Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu, with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar presiding over it.
