Marco Rubio Makes It Clear, Deepening Ties With Pakistan Won’t Come At ‘Expense’ Of ‘Historic’ Relations With India

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has sought to allay India’s concerns over Washington’s renewed strategic engagement with Pakistan, insisting that the move is not intended to weaken or sideline New Delhi. 

Speaking to the media, while en route to Doha, Qatar, Rubio stressed that the US-India relationship remains one of Washington’s strongest global partnerships.

“I don’t think anything we’re doing with Pakistan comes at the expense of our relationship or friendship with India, which is deep, historic, and important,” Rubio said, responding to questions about India’s unease over Washington’s growing ties with Islamabad.

‘India Understands Mature Diplomacy,’ Says Rubio

Acknowledging New Delhi’s sensitivities, Rubio said the US was mindful of the “historical tensions” between India and Pakistan. “We know they’re concerned for obvious reasons because of the tensions that have existed between Pakistan and India historically,” he noted.

However, the Secretary of State emphasised that America’s engagement with multiple nations was part of a broader diplomatic strategy, not a zero-sum approach. “We have to have relations with a lot of different countries. We see an opportunity to expand our strategic relationship with Pakistan, and that’s our job to figure out how we can work with them on things of common interest,” he said.

Also, Rubio praised India’s mature and pragmatic foreign policy, adding, “The Indians are very mature when it comes to diplomacy and things of that nature. They have some relationships with countries that we don’t have relationships with. It’s part of a mature, pragmatic foreign policy.”

Tensions Rise After Operation Sindoor And US Tariffs

Rubio’s comments come amid heightened friction between India and Pakistan following India’s Operation Sindoor in May, which targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). The operation was launched in retaliation for a Pakistan-sponsored terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, which killed 26 people.

Both nations later agreed to cease hostilities after Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) reached out to his Indian counterpart.

US President Donald Trump had claimed credit for brokering peace between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, a claim India firmly rejected, while Pakistan welcomed it and even nominated Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize.

Trade frictions have further complicated matters, with the US imposing 50% tariffs on Indian exports, partially citing India’s purchase of Russian oil, which Washington says funds Moscow’s war in Ukraine. 

By contrast, Pakistan faces lower tariffs of around 19% and has recently signed mining and oil exploration deals with Washington, further fuelling perceptions of a strategic shift.

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