US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has clarified that Washington’s efforts to expand its strategic relationship with Pakistan will not come at the expense of its longstanding ties with India.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday while traveling to the ASEAN summit in Malaysia alongside President Donald Trump, Rubio described the approach as part of a “mature, pragmatic foreign policy”, noting that India maintains relationships with countries the US does not, and vice versa.
“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, according to Bloomberg.
Context: US-Pakistan Engagement
The Trump administration’s apparent pivot toward Pakistan has raised concerns in New Delhi, coming amid strained US-India trade relations, including 50% tariffs on certain Indian exports. In contrast, Pakistan faces a lower 19% tariff rate.
Rubio noted that Washington had engaged with Islamabad even before any recent conflicts with India, emphasizing the US goal of rebuilding a strategic partnership beyond traditional counter-terror cooperation.
“We’ve had a long history of partnering with Pakistan on counter-terror and related matters. We’d like to expand it beyond that, if possible,” he said.
Trump’s Role and Regional Diplomacy
Trump has repeatedly highlighted his role in mediating conflicts between India and Pakistan, claiming to have brokered a ceasefire during a military standoff in May. While Pakistan has praised Trump’s efforts, even nominating him for a Nobel Peace Prize, India has rejected claims of American intervention influencing the truce.
Further showcasing his peacemaker narrative, Trump oversaw a truce agreement between Thailand and Cambodia on Sunday, referring to Pakistani leaders Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir as “great leaders”—a term he also uses for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Trade and Energy Discussions
On the sidelines of the ASEAN summit, Rubio is scheduled to meet India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, likely to discuss ongoing trade negotiations and India’s oil imports from Russia.
Rubio acknowledged India’s right to diversify energy sources and noted that Delhi has informed the US about its intention to increase purchases from American suppliers:
“The more we sell them, the less they’ll buy from someone else,” he said.
Meanwhile, the US has criticized India for purchasing Russian crude, which accounts for roughly one-third of India’s total oil imports, arguing that such trade indirectly supports President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine. Recent US sanctions on Russian oil suppliers have prompted India to explore alternative sources, according to Bloomberg.
