Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri meets Marco Rubio

New Delhi: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to visit India next month after a “productive” meeting with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in Washington, where the two sides reviewed key aspects of the bilateral partnership including trade, defense and the Quad.Misri, currently on a three-day visit to the US, met Rubio at the White House. US Ambassador to India Sergio Gore said the meeting focused on “our bilateral relationship, particularly trade, critical minerals, defense and the Quad”, adding that Rubio “looks forward to visiting India next month.”Responding to Gore, the Indian Embassy in the USA wrote, “During his ongoing visit, Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri today met Secretary of State Marco Rubio. We look forward to deepening our engagement in these important areas and strengthening the 🇮🇳-🇺🇸 Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.”

Focus on defence, trade and strategic relations

During his visit, Misri held several high-level meetings with the US administration aimed at strengthening strategic cooperation. The discussions covered defense ties, technology sharing and supply chain integration under the India-US major defense partnership framework.At the Pentagon, Misri met with senior officials including Elbridge Colby and Mike Duffy, focusing on defense exchanges and industrial cooperation. The talks also reached the Department of Commerce, where they discussed enhancing cooperation in critical technologies and resilient supply chains.The Indian Embassy said these activities are aimed at “transforming the India-US partnership for the 21st century”, including cooperation in AI and critical minerals.

Regional security, Middle East developments discussed

The evolving situation in the Middle East and broader geopolitical concerns were also high on the agenda. Misri’s meeting with US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau included discussions on developments in the Persian Gulf and other regional priorities.He also met FBI Director Kash Patel, with both sides exchanging views on cooperation in combating terrorism, organized crime and narcotics.

Quad cooperation and future roadmap

US Under Secretary of State Alison Hooker said the two sides “explored practical ways to make both Americans and Indians safer and more prosperous, including within the Quad”.The visit comes amid rising global tensions and underlines the continued momentum in India-US relations, with both sides working to deepen cooperation in defence, economic and strategic sectors.