Kashmir Impulse Desk

New Delhi, May 23

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New Delhi on Saturday, discussing defence, trade, energy and technology cooperation, with Rubio extending an invitation from President Donald Trump for Modi to visit the United States.

Rubio met Modi shortly after arriving in the capital following a brief stop in Kolkata, as part of a four-day visit aimed at advancing India-U.S. engagement across strategic and economic sectors.

US Ambassador Sergio Gor said Rubio conveyed an invitation from Trump for Modi to visit the White House in the near future.

“Happy to receive 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,” Modi said in a post on X after the meeting.

He said India and the United States would continue to work closely “for the global good”.

In a statement, the Prime Minister’s Office said Rubio briefed Modi on progress in bilateral cooperation across a broad range of areas including defence, strategic technologies, trade and investment, energy security, connectivity, education and people-to-people ties.

Rubio also shared Washington’s perspective on regional and global developments, including the situation in West Asia, the statement said.

Modi reiterated India’s support for peace efforts and called for peaceful resolution of conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy, according to the PMO.

The prime minister also requested Rubio to convey his greetings to Trump and said he looked forward to continued exchanges with the US president.

Rubio is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday and attend US Embassy Independence Day celebrations in New Delhi.

He will travel to Agra and Jaipur on Monday before returning to the capital on Tuesday for the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

Posting on social media after arriving in India, Rubio said he was looking forward to “a great visit”. Before leaving Kolkata, he visited the Mother House, headquarters of Saint Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity.