U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio touched down in India Saturday, preparing for crucial discussions next week with officials from India, Australia, and Japan – the four nations that make up the Indo-Pacific coalition called the Quad.
The diplomatic mission comes as the United States works to repair damaged relationships with India following tensions created by President Donald Trump’s trade policies, which imposed higher tariffs on various Indian goods.
During his four-day stay, Rubio plans to travel to multiple cities and attend a celebration in New Delhi commemorating America’s 250th year of independence.
“There’s a lot to work on with India, they’re a great ally and partner. We do a lot of good work with them so this is an important trip,” Rubio said ahead of his visit to India.
Rubio landed in Kolkata Saturday morning and plans to tour Mother House, the central operations of the Missionaries of Charity established by Mother Teresa. His itinerary includes stops in Agra and Jaipur, cities famous for their historic landmarks and royal architecture.
The Secretary of State will conduct one-on-one discussions with India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and is anticipated to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Tuesday’s Quad ministerial gathering in New Delhi will bring together officials from the alliance that has consistently criticized China for demonstrating military strength in the South China Sea and aggressively advancing its territorial maritime demands.
China argues its military presence serves purely defensive purposes to safeguard what it considers legitimate territorial rights, characterizing the Quad as an effort to limit its economic expansion and global influence.
Following his swearing-in ceremony in January of last year, Rubio’s initial official overseas commitment involved conferences with foreign ministers from the remaining Quad nations, conducted both collectively and individually.
