US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor on Saturday said secretary of state Marco Rubio had extended an invitation on behalf of President Donald Trump for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the White House.
Rubio met PM Modi shortly after arriving in New Delhi on his first official visit to India, a trip seen as an effort to recalibrate bilateral ties that have faced turbulence since mid-last year.
“Landed in India. Looking forward to a great visit,” Rubio said in a social media post after arriving in Kolkata earlier in the day.
Before flying to Delhi, Rubio visited the Mother House, the headquarters of Saint Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity.
“Warmly welcome Secretary of State Marco Rubio of the USA to New Delhi. His visit will add further strength to India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on X.
Welcoming Rubio, Gor outlined a forward-looking agenda focused on deepening bilateral cooperation. He highlighted the upcoming Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and reiterated Washington’s commitment to advancing President Trump’s vision for a stronger India-US partnership.
Rubio later called on Prime Minister Modi after reaching the national capital. He is also scheduled to hold talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday, attend the US Embassy’s Independence Day celebrations, and participate in the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday. He will also visit Agra and Jaipur on Monday.
People familiar with the matter said discussions between Jaishankar and Rubio are likely to focus on expanding cooperation in energy, trade, investment, critical technologies and people-to-people ties.
The two sides are also expected to exchange views on the West Asia crisis and its economic implications, including concerns related to energy supplies.
Rubio’s India visit comes more than five weeks after Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri travelled to Washington DC for talks aimed at stabilising ties following a period of strain and uncertainty.
Relations between the two countries had come under pressure after Washington imposed punitive tariffs on India and President Trump made controversial remarks about his alleged role in de-escalating the India-Pakistan military tensions last May.
In the months that followed, Trump repeatedly claimed publicly that he had helped avert a full-scale war between the two neighbours. New Delhi, however, has consistently maintained that the cessation of hostilities resulted from direct talks between India and Pakistan, with no role played by the United States.
Washington’s revised immigration policy and the decision to raise H1B visa fees also contributed to friction in bilateral ties. Despite the tensions, both countries have taken steps in recent months to rebuild momentum in the relationship.
The two sides are also working towards finalising a mutually beneficial trade agreement.
President Trump and Prime Minister Modi held a nearly 40-minute phone conversation on April 14. Following the call, Modi said the two leaders reviewed the “substantial progress” in bilateral relations and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the India-US comprehensive global strategic partnership across sectors.