US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Sunday, with energy security, trade and regional stability dominating discussions during Rubio’s four-day visit to India.
Rubio arrived in the eastern city of Kolkata on Saturday before travelling to the Indian capital. His trip will also include visits to Jaipur and Agra as Washington and New Delhi seek to strengthen ties amid growing geopolitical and economic challenges.
According to US officials, Rubio extended an invitation from the White House for Modi to visit the United States. Modi later said the two leaders discussed “issues related to regional and global peace and security.”
A major focus of the meeting was the ongoing global energy crisis linked to tensions surrounding Iran and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route through which nearly 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas supplies pass.
Energy shipments through the strait have sharply declined following recent conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States, placing heavy pressure on India, which imports more than 80% of its energy requirements. Nearly half of India’s crude oil imports usually pass through the waterway.
Following the talks, Rubio’s spokesman said the US secretary of state stressed that Washington “will not let Iran hold the global energy market hostage” and highlighted America’s potential to diversify India’s energy supply.
Ahead of the visit, Rubio had signalled Washington’s interest in increasing energy exports to India, saying the US was prepared to sell India “as much energy as they’ll buy.”
The energy issue also ties into wider trade negotiations between the two countries. The United States recorded a trade deficit of $58.2 billion with India in 2025, a sharp increase from the previous year, something that has repeatedly drawn criticism from US President Donald Trump.
India has recently agreed to boost imports of American goods, including energy, aircraft, technology and agricultural products, under an interim trade agreement reached earlier this year. Washington subsequently reduced reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods, easing pressure on Indian exporters.
Despite the warming trade ties, several challenges remain unresolved. Analysts say importing large quantities of US energy is costly and logistically difficult for India compared to its traditional suppliers.
The visit also comes amid lingering tensions over US claims that Washington helped mediate last year’s brief India-Pakistan conflict. While Trump has repeatedly said he played a role in easing tensions, India has firmly rejected third-party mediation in disputes with Pakistan.
Relations have also been affected by Trump’s warm remarks about Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir, whom he reportedly described as his “favourite field marshal.”
Rubio, however, is expected to avoid public remarks about Pakistan during his India trip, with analysts suggesting any sensitive discussions will remain behind closed doors.
Beyond trade and energy, Rubio is also set to attend a meeting of Quad foreign ministers in New Delhi on 26 May. The Quad alliance, which includes India, the United States, Australia and Japan, is viewed as a strategic grouping aimed at balancing China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
The future direction of the Quad remains uncertain, especially amid questions over whether President Trump will attend the group’s planned leaders’ summit later this year in India.
India is also preparing to host a summit of the BRICS nations in September, placing New Delhi at the centre of major global diplomatic and economic discussions in the months ahead.