US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Kolkata on Saturday morning to begin his four-day visit to India, his first trip to the country since taking office last year.
Rubio was received by senior officials on arrival and is expected to travel to multiple Indian cities, including Agra and Jaipur, during the visit.
According to US Ambassador Sergio Gor, the top US diplomat will likely meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi later in the day in New Delhi.
The visit comes as Washington and New Delhi seek to deepen strategic and economic cooperation amid evolving global geopolitical challenges.
Taking to X, Gor said the visit would focus on advancing stronger US-India ties and preparations for the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
Honored to welcome my friend @SecRubio to India! We have an ambitious agenda ahead, including the Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting, focused on advancing @POTUS‘ vision for an even stronger U.S.-India partnership. Looking forward to great conversations and making real progress… pic.twitter.com/NpCQRVeUIm
— Ambassador Sergio Gor (@USAmbIndia) May 23, 2026
Rubio will hold bilateral talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday and attend the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Delhi on Tuesday.
Discussions will likely cover the Indo-Pacific, defence cooperation, trade, energy security and regional stability.
India is hosting the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi on May 26.
At Jaishankar’s invitation, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi will also participate.
Ahead of his India visit, Rubio said the US wanted to expand energy ties with India and deepen cooperation through the Quad framework.
Referring to concerns over disruptions in global oil and gas supplies linked to tensions in West Asia and the Strait of Hormuz, Rubio said the US was ready to increase energy exports to India. He described India as a ‘great ally’ and ‘great partner’, adding that both countries had significant areas of cooperation to discuss during the visit.
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