At the Freedom 250 reception in New Delhi, Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared India and the United States share an extraordinary alignment on core strategic concerns—an observation that bookends his two‑day visit.
He stressed the need for a "free and open Indo‑Pacific" where no nation can claim dominance over international shipping lanes, positioning the region as the crucible of 21st‑century geopolitics.
Rubio acknowledged that friction remains: U.S. tariffs on Indian exports have spurred trade disputes, while India's preference for cheaper Russian oil and U.S. immigration measures have strained bilateral ties.
The U.S. administration recently enacted a law imposing penal tariffs on countries importing Russian oil, a move that has amplified trade tensions with India.
He said a bilateral trade agreement is close to signing, with only a handful of issues left to iron out before a formal agreement can be ratified.
To cement the partnership, Rubio will visit Reliance Industries' Jamnagar refinery on Wednesday and meet business leaders such as Tata's N Chandrasekaran and Adani's Gautam Adani in Mumbai.