US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged businesses to view the relationship between India and the US as a strategic partnership encompassing technology, trade, and security. He emphasized that both countries are 'ideally aligned' on issues that will define the 21st century, although he acknowledged that disagreements will persist between them.
Speaking before leading representatives of Indian business at the Freedom 250 event in BKC, Rubio noted that bilateral ties can contribute to shaping the future of the global economy, especially against the backdrop of industrial and societal transformations driven by the development of artificial intelligence and quantum computing. He expressed his conviction that the relationship between the US and India positively shapes the 21st century.
Attendees at the event included figures such as Noel Tata (Tata Trusts), Anand Mahindra (Mahindra Group), Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (Biocon), Ashok P Hinduja (Hinduja Group), Amit Dixit (Blackstone), Hitendra Dave (HSBC India), K Balasubramanian (Citi India), and Rahul Badhwar (JPMorgan Chase).
Rubio highlighted new technologies and secure trade routes as areas where the interests of the two nations converge. He stated that the US and India are 'ideally aligned' on the use of new technologies for the benefit of society, noting their shared expertise and talented specialists, including engineers and innovators.
He linked economic growth to the security of international shipping lanes, asserting that businesses require freedom of movement of goods across borders and access to markets. For India and the US, this necessitates creating a 'free and secure Indo-Pacific region,' where 'no nation can claim dominance or ownership of international sea lanes.'
Despite this, Rubio clarified that no two nations on Earth will be perfectly aligned on every issue, but on core problems, 'the alignment between our countries is extraordinary.' His speech contained no signals regarding immediate changes in tariffs or market access. Rubio also mentioned that he deems more frequent interaction between the US and India necessary and plans to return in three months.
US Secretary of State defends relations with Pakistan
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the US has an obligation to maintain relations with all countries, even those with which disagreements may exist, specifically defending ties with Pakistan and condemning terrorism. Furthermore, Rubio confirmed that the next Quad leaders' summit will take place in Manila next month.
Speaking to Network 18, Rubio explained that Pakistan is a country that must be kept in contact with because it possesses nuclear weapons. He added that from a geographical perspective, the US should interact with this country in the same way that the Indian government maintains relations and meets with Iranian leaders. He suggested that such interaction could have a positive effect as it might help in containing issues that concern India.
