Marco Rubio holds talks with PM Modi during Delhi visit; invites prime minister to White House

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Saturday, with the two leaders discussing a wide-ranging agenda dominated by energy security, trade tensions, defence cooperation and Indo-Pacific strategy.

According to PIB release, Secretary Rubio briefed the Prime Minister on the growing momentum in India-US cooperation across a broad strategic landscape, with discussions spanning defence collaboration, emerging technologies, trade and investment, energy security, connectivity initiatives, education partnerships and expanding people-to-people ties between the two countries.

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Meanwhile, Reuters reported that Rubio had assured PM Modi that Washington would not allow Iran to “hold the global energy market hostage." Rubio further stressed that American energy supplies could offer India a crucial alternative at a time of global uncertainty.

The talks further carried significant geopolitical weight ahead of the upcoming Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting involving India, the United States, Japan and Australia. "Looked forward to advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific region alongside Australia, India, and Japan during upcoming Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in India," the US leader said during Saturday's meeting, reported the news agency.

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Rubio also reflected on recent bilateral achievements and the growing flow of investments between the two countries aimed at advancing President Donald Trump and PM Modi’s ambitious “Mission 500” target, which seeks to double India-US trade by 2030.

After the meeting, PM Modi described the discussions as productive and reaffirmed the growing strategic alignment between New Delhi and Washington.

“Happy to receive the US Secretary of State, Mr. Marco Rubio. We discussed sustained progress in the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and issues related to regional and global peace and security. India and the United States will continue to work closely for the global good,” the prime minister said in a post on X.

In addition, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor further revealed that Rubio had extended an invitation to the prime minister on behalf of US President Donald Trump to visit the White House.

"Secretary Marco Rubio extended an invite on behalf of President Donald Trump, for Prime Minister Modi to visit the White House in the near future," Gor wrote in a separate post on the social media platform.


The high-level talks came at a turbulent moment for the global economy, with India grappling with soaring fuel prices and supply disruptions triggered by the ongoing Iran conflict and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Rubio’s India visit is being closely watched in diplomatic circles as an early test of how the Trump administration intends to recalibrate ties with New Delhi after months of friction over tariffs, Russian oil imports and remarks by US President Donald Trump on India-Pakistan tensions.

For New Delhi, the meeting offered an opportunity to secure economic and energy stability at a time of mounting global uncertainty. For Washington, it was a chance to deepen strategic engagement with one of Asia’s most influential powers as geopolitical fault lines continue to widen across the region.

Rubio’s India itinerary itself reflects both strategic and symbolic priorities.

The US Secretary of State began his four-day visit in Kolkata, where he visited Mother House and a children’s home before flying to New Delhi for talks with the Indian leadership. His tour will also take him to Agra and Jaipur, blending high-level diplomacy with cultural outreach as Washington looks to deepen engagement with India on multiple fronts.