Tue, 20 Oct, 2026, 02:42 pm
Reported by Hindustan Times
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday hailed India as a "powerful, influential" nation, and said that India-US ties will define the 21st century. Rubio is on a three-day visit to India to hold talks over trade and energy ties among other issues of bilateral interest.
The US Secretary of State arrived in India for the second time in less than five months. Speaking at the ‘Freedom 250 Reception’ in Mumbai, Rubio said, “It is a great honour to be back here today. At the press conference today, somebody asked a question, why are you back in India after just four months?
And I said, well, number one, it happens to be the most populous nation on Earth. It happens to be the oldest democracy on Earth. It happens to be such a strong geopolitical partner.”The visit came amid lingering tensions between the two countries over several issues, including the Trump administration’s trade policies, immigration restrictions, and Washington’s growing engagement with Pakistan’s military leadership.
India-US ties defining for 21st century: RubioRubio said he believes the relationship between the US and India will define what 21st century can look like. “If you think about the story and the history of the 21st century, it's being written in this region. And it's being written right now.
