Marco Rubio Assures New Delhi: US-Pakistan Relations Won't Come at India's Expense

On a two-day official visit to India, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio sought to dispel concerns in New Delhi regarding the Washington administration's relations with Pakistan and China. Rubio emphasized that no relationship the US builds with any country will ever occur at the expense of its partnership with India.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Marco Rubio stated that comparing the Donald Trump administration to the Nixon-Kissinger era of the 1970s is unfair because the global order has completely changed since then. Recalling that during Richard Nixon's presidency when Henry Kissinger served as national security adviser, US South Asia policy showed a distinct tilt toward the Pakistani military regime led by General Yahya Khan, Rubio noted that "the dynamics belonging to the Cold War era no longer exist."

Touching upon the Trump administration's increasing engagements, particularly with Pakistan's defense chief Asim Munir, Rubio said, "Our relationship with any country in the world does not operate to the detriment of our relationship with India." Arguing that commitments to a trade agreement and joint efforts between the two countries are proof of this, the US Secretary added that Washington engaging with Islamabad could help deter moves that worry India.

Addressing during the visit the difficulties of ending Russia's war in Ukraine now in its fourth year, Rubio stated that these issues are complex and if there were an easy solution, it would have been solved long ago.