20 May,2026 09:19 AM IST | Washington | mid-day online correspondent
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Pic/AFP
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit India from May 23 to 26 for discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in areas such as trade, defence, energy and regional security. This will be Rubio's first official visit to India since assuming office.
The announcement was made by the US Department of State, which said Rubio's four-day itinerary includes visits to Kolkata, Agra, Jaipur and New Delhi.
According to State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott, Rubio will engage with senior Indian officials during his visit and discuss a wide range of strategic issues, including defence partnerships, trade ties, energy cooperation and regional security matters.
A major highlight of Rubio's visit will be his participation in the Quad foreign ministers' meeting scheduled to take place in New Delhi on May 26. The Quad grouping includes India, the United States, Japan and Australia, and has increasingly focused on regional stability, maritime security and strategic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
The meeting is expected to be chaired by Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu are also expected to attend.
Diplomatic sources indicated that discussions during the Quad meeting are likely to cover several pressing international developments, including the continuing crisis in West Asia, maritime security concerns and broader geopolitical challenges affecting the Indo-Pacific region.
Before arriving in India, Rubio will travel to Sweden to attend the NATO Foreign Ministers' Meeting on May 22. The US State Department said discussions at the NATO gathering will focus on increasing defence investment among alliance members and improving burden sharing within the bloc.
Rubio is also expected to hold meetings with counterparts from the Arctic Seven nations during his Sweden visit. The discussions are likely to centre on economic and security interests in the Arctic region, along with strengthening strategic cooperation in the High North.
The US Embassy in New Delhi confirmed Rubio's participation in the Quad ministerial meeting and described the visit as an important step in strengthening India-US relations.
In a statement, the embassy said it looked forward to welcoming Rubio for his first visit to India, high-level engagements with Indian leaders and participation in the Quad meetings. The embassy also referred to the ongoing celebrations marking 250 years of America.
India and the United States have significantly expanded strategic cooperation in recent years across sectors including defence, critical technologies, trade and clean energy. Rubio's visit is expected to further reinforce bilateral ties and deepen coordination on regional and global issues.
The upcoming Quad meeting in New Delhi comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions in several regions, including West Asia and the Indo-Pacific. Officials are expected to deliberate on ways to strengthen coordination among Quad nations in areas such as maritime security, supply chain resilience, infrastructure development and emerging technologies.
The meeting is also likely to underline the Quad's continued focus on maintaining a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region amid evolving global security challenges.
(With inputs from PTI)
