US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Kolkata on Saturday for his four-day diplomatic tour to India, with the city marking the opening leg of a visit that carries considerable political and historical resonance.
Later today, Rubio will travel to New Delhi to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of his bilateral meeting with counterpart S Jaishankar on Sunday and the Quad foreign ministers' meeting on Tuesday.
His arrival in the eastern metropolis ended a 14-year hiatus since an American secretary of state last visited the city, coming only weeks after West Bengal witnessed a landmark political transition with a BJP-led government assuming office.
The four-day visit to India, his first since taking office, will also see him travelling to Agra and Jaipur on Monday.
Australian and Japanese foreign ministers, Penny Wong and Toshimitsu Motegi, respectively, will also join Jaishankar and Rubio on Tuesday. They will also have bilateral meetings with Jaishankar and call on PM Modi.
The meeting is expected to focus on securing and diversifying critical mineral supply chains, aiming to reduce dependence on China.
In a post on social media platform X (formerly twitter), US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said, "Secretary Marco Rubio has landed in Kolkata. This is his first trip to India. Later today, we will call on Prime Minister @narendramodi in New Delhi. Trade, Technology, Defense, QUAD, and many other items to discuss and advance over the next few days!"
Rubio became the first US secretary of state to set foot in Kolkata since Hillary Clinton visited the city in May 2012.
The US Department of State said Rubio would visit Mother House, the headquarters of Saint Teresa's Missionaries of Charity in central Kolkata, and the Children's Home in the city.
Rubio's India itinerary, scheduled from May 23 to 26 and also encompassing Agra, Jaipur, and New Delhi, is being viewed as diplomatically significant for his scheduled energy talks with India and the meeting with ministers from the Quad nations.
ALSO READ: Fuel Price Hike: Petrol, Diesel Prices Increased A Third Time In Less Than 10 Days; Check New Rates
"Well, we want to sell them as much energy as they'll buy. And obviously, you've seen I think we're at historic levels of US production, and US export," Rubio told reporters in Miami before he embarked on the trip to Sweden and India.
ALSO READ: 'Plan B': US Secretary Of State Marco Rubio Explains What US Will Do If Iran Refuses Peace Deal
Responding to a question about India being affected by high energy prices due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Rubio described India as a "great partner" and said he was looking forward to meeting with ministers from the Quad nations.
The Quad meeting is planned for May 26, and it is scheduled to be attended by Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu, with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar presiding over it.
( With Inputs from agency )