US Secretary of State kicks off India visit, invites Modi to White House | Narendra Modi News

The US-Israel war with Iran is among the major issues as Rubio expects to seek to improve relations with New Delhi.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio began a four-day visit to India and invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the White House.

The trip starting Saturday is expected to focus on restoring ties between Washington and New Delhi following recent trade frictions, particularly over India’s continued purchases of Russian oil.

Other issues, including energy security, are expected to be addressed, with India particularly affected by the US-Israeli war in Iran and Tehran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

In New Delhi, Rubio oversaw a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new wing of the U.S. Embassy. America’s top diplomat called the building “a sign of our commitment to this important relationship.”

“This important relationship between our two countries is the cornerstone of our approach to the Indo-Pacific region,” Rubio said.

The State Department said Rubio and Modi “agreed to deepen trade and defense cooperation and accelerate collaboration on critical and emerging technologies.”

The visit will be capped by a meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, a grouping of the United States, Japan, Australia and India created in response to China’s power in the region.

In New Delhi, I met the Indian Prime Minister @narendramodi to highlight the importance of U.S.-India relations. We discussed the situation in the Middle East and the US-India energy partnership, securing critical supply chains, and collaboration in emerging areas… pic.twitter.com/ehdaVlrwkS

– Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) May 23, 2026

Although it has existed since 2007, the largely defunct group was revived in 2017 and has regularly fueled discontent in Beijing.

The Quad meeting comes after US President Donald Trump visited Beijing and met with President Xi Jinping in early May. The event was full of mutual praise, but yielded few concrete agreements.

Repair ties

Despite the United States’ renewed emphasis on India in recent years, the Trump administration’s early actions have roiled relations.

Last year, the administration doubled tariffs on India to 50% on its purchases of Russian oil, on which the South Asian giant has long depended. Trump and Modi then announced a deal that would see India begin to move away from Russia.

However, the US-Israeli war against Iran and the upheaval in global energy markets have seen India continue to buy Russian oil. Rubio was expected to push Modi for India to buy more oil from the United States and Venezuela.

War with Iran loomed when Rubio arrived in New Delhi, with a new wave of threats and diplomacy raising conflicting prospects of a resumption of U.S. attacks or a breakthrough in efforts for a lasting ceasefire.

Rubio pointed to “some progress” in the latest round of negotiations, adding “there’s a chance that, whether it’s later today, tomorrow, a few days from now, we’ll have something to say.”

Speaking to reporters, he reiterated U.S. demands that Iran allow free passage through the Strait of Hormuz, which has emerged as a key lever for Tehran in the conflict, and that Iran return its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium, a condition Tehran has repeatedly rejected.

Relations between the United States and India have also been strained by warming ties between the United States and Pakistan, which has been mediating negotiations between the United States and Iran.

Deep-rooted tensions between Pakistan and India remained high after a brief air war last May.

Trump said he had negotiated a ceasefire in the conflict, with the Indian government denying any foreign pressure played a role in the deal.

On Saturday, Rubio also stopped in Calcutta, where he visited Mother Teresa’s tomb and the headquarters of her charity. He was also scheduled to visit Agra and Jaipur during the trip.