US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday ended his Jaipur tour and left for New Delhi to attend the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting. However, what caught the attention of the netizens was the modest farewell the senior US diplomat received at the airport. Visuals that emerged from the site showed some junior civil and police officials shaking hands with Rubio. While some hailed the government for giving a cold reception to a US administrator, others criticized the move for not following diplomatic protocol. Marco Rubio is on the last leg of his four-day visit to India, which will end with his participation in the Quad meeting. He earlier met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and EAM S Jaishankar. He travelled to the iconic Taj Mahal with his wife on Ma 25. Rubio started his India tour from Kolkata on May 22. At that time, a similar debate took place on social media about whether a senior US official was not received by his counterpart.
A social media user on X wrote that one of the most powerful people in the world, Marco Rubio, is being sent off from Jaipur by SHO, Constable, SI, a few low-level bureaucrats, and not even by a minister of the MoS level present.
One of the most powerful people of World Marco Rubio is being sent off from Jaipur by SHO, Constable, SI, Few low level Babus and not even some MoS level minister present. This is one of the coldest reception ever for a US Administrator. 😂 pic.twitter.com/vLscH75iqc
— Ganesh (@me_ganesh14) May 26, 2026
“This is one of the coldest receptions ever for a US Administrator,” the X user added.
Former Director General of Jammu & Kashmir Shesh Paul Vaid also reacted to the incident, saying he has not seen such “shabby treatment” meted out to a senior US official.
“Modi government brought down the level of Secretary of State of USA, the number three most powerful man of only Super Power of the world to the level of SHO. Atleast I have not seen such a shabby treatment to the USA’s External Affairs Minister. What a response to Trump’s Shithole comment,” Vaid posted on X.
Senior Supreme Court lawyer and Congress Leader, Abhishek Singhvi, also reacted to the incident, saying it is a reminder to the US that respect in international relations must be mutual
“If the US chooses pressure tactics against India, it should not expect red-carpet diplomacy in return.
The relatively lower-key protocol for Marco Rubio is a reminder that respect in international relations must be mutual. India engages as an equal, not as a client state,” Singhvi posted on X.
Reacting to Singhvi, former Indian diplomat Kanwal Sibal said that it is not correct that Marco Rubio protocol was not followed while receiving Rubio.
“That Rubio was not received at the appropriate level on arrival is not correct. He was received by the head of the Americas division, which is the right protocol. Any special protocol treatment to Rubio, even if considered exceptional, would also have to be given to the visiting Japanese and Australian FMs for the Quad meeting,” Sibal said.
That Rubio was not received at appropriate level on arrival is not correct.
He was received by the head of the Americas division, which is the right protocol.
Any special protocol treatment to Rubio, even if considered exceptionally, would also have to be given to the… https://t.co/YpuFeYz4S6
— Kanwal Sibal (@KanwalSibal) May 26, 2026
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
