US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, emphasized that the United States views an opportunity to enhance its strategic ties with Pakistan without compromising its longstanding and significant relationship with India. Rubio highlighted the enduring friendship between the US and India as deep, historic, and crucial during a media briefing before his meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Kuala Lumpur for the Asean summit.
Rubio’s comments come against the backdrop of growing closeness between the US and Pakistan, a development that has sparked concerns among analysts and caused apprehension in New Delhi, particularly in light of recent strategic and economic agreements under the Trump administration.
Addressing India’s apprehensions regarding US-Pakistan relations, Rubio acknowledged New Delhi’s concerns but stressed that the US-Pakistan engagement does not come at the expense of the strong US-India partnership. He commended India for its diplomatic maturity and emphasized the importance for the US to maintain diverse international relationships.
The remarks by Rubio coincide with an improvement in US-Pakistan relations in recent months, notably after US President Donald Trump’s meeting with Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir following the brief military confrontation between India and Pakistan earlier this year. While India dismissed Trump’s assertions of mediating a truce, Pakistan attributed the de-escalation to the US president’s involvement.
Regarding India’s energy collaborations with Russia, Rubio mentioned India’s interest in broadening its sources of crude oil procurement. He highlighted the potential for India to reduce imports from other suppliers by increasing purchases from the US but clarified that trade negotiations were not currently underway.