U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Seva Theerth in New Delhi on Saturday during his four-day visit to India. The meeting lasted for more than an hour and focused on strengthening India-U.S. relations, regional security, strategic cooperation and global energy concerns. Rubio is also attending the Quad Foreign Ministers’ summit in the national capital and is expected to hold important discussions with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar during his visit.

Key Meeting Between Modi And Rubio

According to sources, Prime Minister Modi and Marco Rubio discussed several bilateral and international issues, including security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region and cooperation in the energy sector. The meeting comes at a time when tensions in the Persian Gulf region have increased concerns over global oil supplies and regional stability.

Before arriving in New Delhi, Rubio started his India visit in Kolkata. He visited the Mother House, the headquarters of Saint Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity, and also toured Nirmala Sishu Bhawan, an orphanage run by the organisation. Later, he visited the Victoria Memorial. Tight security arrangements were made across Kolkata during his visit.

Quad Summit In Focus

Marco Rubio’s India visit from May 23 to 26 includes stops in Kolkata, Agra, Jaipur and New Delhi. The visit is being seen as highly important from a diplomatic and strategic point of view. Ahead of the summit, Rubio described India as a “great partner” and said he was looking forward to discussions with leaders from the Quad nations.

Regional Security And Cooperation

The Quad grouping includes India, United States, Japan and Australia. Officials said discussions during the summit are expected to focus on regional security, maritime cooperation, economic partnerships and strengthening strategic ties among the member countries.