US Secretary of State Marco Rubio yesterday invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Washington, calling the two countries’ relationship vitally important, despite recent friction and newfound US warmth toward China.
After joining US President Donald Trump in Beijing a week ago, Rubio flew to New Delhi and met with Modi for more than an hour, and invited the him to visit the White House soon.
Cutting the ribbon afterwards on a new wing to the US embassy, Rubio said the building was a “sign of our commitment to this important relationship.”
Photo: Reuters
“This important relationship between our two countries is at the cornerstone of our approach to the Indo-Pacific,” Rubio said.
US Department of State spokesman Tommy Pigott said US-India ties were “rooted in our shared democratic values” as well as economic opportunity.
The glowing statements come after Trump shook up core assumptions on US foreign policy, including a commitment to building a stronger relationship with India, which was barely mentioned in his administration’s national security strategy released last year.
Rubio, a devout Catholic, began his four-day, four-city tour by touring the headquarters of Mother Teresa’s charity in the eastern city of Kolkata and praying over her tomb.
Wearing a yellow garland over his suit, Rubio, joined by his wife, Jeanette, smiled before an assembly of nuns, all clad in the humanitarian’s signature white and blue saris.
“Rubio spoke about aiding the homeless, terminally ill and those afflicted by leprosy,” Sister Marie Juan of Missionaries of Charity said. “He was happy to pray, and we were also happy to have him.”
While Trump rarely raises human rights, some elements of his base have expressed concerns over the treatment of Christians under the Hindu nationalist Modi, making Rubio’s choice of first stop highly symbolic.
Rights groups said there has been a rise in attacks on minority Christians across India, including vandalism of churches, since Modi came to power in 2014.
The Indian government rejects the claims as exaggerated and politically motivated.
Before leaving on Tuesday, Rubio would also take part in a meeting of foreign ministers of the Quad — Australia, India, Japan and the US.
Rubio also plans to pitch selling more US oil to India.
India’s fast-growing economy is reliant on energy imports, and like many countries has been rattled by the US-Israeli attack on Iran, which retaliated by choking off the strategic Strait of Hormuz, sending global oil prices soaring.
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