A key meeting between India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, amidst the ASEAN summit. The two leaders engaged in discussions aimed at furthering the bilateral relationship between India and the United States, alongside addressing pertinent regional and global challenges. Minister Jaishankar shared his positive experience on X, stating, “Glad to meet @SecRubio this morning in Kuala Lumpur. Appreciated the discussion on our bilateral ties as well as regional and global issues.” This high-level interaction highlights the strategic alignment between the two nations.
Secretary Rubio previously addressed concerns about the US strengthening its relationship with Pakistan, assuring that such engagements would not negatively impact the crucial ties with India. He emphasized the enduring nature of the US-India partnership, describing it as “deep, historic, and important.” Rubio also acknowledged India’s sophisticated diplomatic approach, noting that its ability to maintain relationships with various countries, even those with which the US has limited ties, demonstrates a mature foreign policy. “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 told reporters.
He further explained the rationale behind the US’s expanded engagement with Pakistan: “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 try to figure out how many countries we can find and how we can work with them on things of common interest.” Rubio recognized India’s historical concerns regarding Pakistan but stressed the need for broad international cooperation. He also praised India’s pragmatic diplomatic stance, observing that “the Indians are very mature when it comes to diplomacy and things of that nature.” This statement comes as the US administration actively seeks to deepen ties with Pakistan.
Separately, the 22nd ASEAN-India Summit saw India and ASEAN member states reaffirm their commitment to strengthening cooperation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who attended virtually, outlined priority areas for collaboration, including counter-terrorism, the expedited review of the ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement, and enhancing maritime security. This was the Prime Minister’s twelfth address at the ASEAN-India Summit. Leaders reviewed the progress of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and identified new avenues for joint action. Prime Minister Modi highlighted the pervasive threat of terrorism and the necessity of a united global response.