Rubio Lands in India for 4-Day Diplomatic Visit

(MENAFN) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived Friday in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata, kicking off a four-day diplomatic visit to the South Asian nation that Washington has flagged as carrying significant strategic weight.

Rubio had previewed the trip's importance ahead of departure.

"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," said Rubio.

Washington's Ambassador to New Delhi, Sergio Gor, confirmed the arrival on X, the US social media platform.

"This is his first trip to India," he said.

Gor noted that the agenda spans a wide array of bilateral priorities, including "trade, technology, defense, QUAD, and many other items to discuss and advance over the next few days."

Following his engagements in Kolkata, Rubio is expected to travel to New Delhi for a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to Indian officials. He is also scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar on Sunday, and will participate in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) foreign ministers' meeting, hosted by India on Tuesday.

The secretary's itinerary also includes visits to Agra and Jaipur. A US State Department statement issued ahead of the visit outlined that Rubio will address energy security, trade, and defense cooperation with senior Indian counterparts.

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