Washington, June 6:
The United States has reaffirmed that its strategic partnership with India remains strong, highlighting President Donald Trump’s invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Washington as evidence of the close relationship between the two leaders and the growing ties between the two countries.
Speaking during a roundtable discussion organised by the New York Foreign Press Centre, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott described the India-US partnership as “robust” and pointed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s recent visit to India as a demonstration of the depth of bilateral cooperation.
Rubio visited Kolkata, Agra, Jaipur and New Delhi from May 23 to 26 and participated in the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting hosted by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
Pigott said Rubio’s visit produced tangible outcomes, particularly in areas such as critical minerals and technology.
He noted that cooperation between the two countries is expanding in several strategic sectors and that the visit underscored the importance both nations place on strengthening their partnership.
A key highlight of Rubio’s trip was the personal delivery of President Trump’s invitation to Prime Minister Modi to visit the White House.
Pigott said the invitation reflected not only the strong rapport between Trump and Modi but also the broader strategic relationship between India and the United States.
While he declined to comment on the timing of a possible meeting between the two leaders or a future Quad Leaders’ Summit, he referred such decisions to the White House.
Pigott also emphasised the significance of the Quad grouping, which includes India, the United States, Australia and Japan.
He recalled that the first meeting Rubio hosted after taking office in January 2025 was the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Washington, demonstrating the forum’s importance to US foreign policy. According to Pigott, the Quad is increasingly becoming an action-oriented platform focused on delivering practical outcomes.
Among the initiatives highlighted were efforts to modernise ports, strengthen supply chains and enhance maritime security cooperation to combat piracy and other illegal activities.
He also noted growing India-US cooperation in addressing transnational criminal networks.
Rubio’s meeting with Modi in New Delhi further reinforced the strategic partnership.
The US Secretary of State described India as a cornerstone of Washington’s Indo-Pacific strategy and said discussions covered developments in the Middle East, energy cooperation, critical supply chains and emerging technologies.
Following the Quad meeting, the member countries also announced the Quad Critical Minerals Framework, aimed at building secure, diversified and resilient critical mineral supply chains through coordinated policies and investment cooperation.
The initiative is expected to strengthen collaboration in mining, processing and recycling of critical minerals among the four Quad partners.