‘Not At India’s Expense’: Rubio Seeks Diplomatic Balance Amid Trump’s Pakistan Tilt, Terms Indo-America Friendship ‘Historic’

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday said that Washington’s efforts to expand its “strategic relationship” with Pakistan would not come at the expense of its “deep, historic and important” friendship with India.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while en route to Qatar, Rubio stressed that the United States was pursuing a balanced approach in South Asia, even as concerns grew in New Delhi over Washington’s apparent diplomatic tilt toward Islamabad under the Trump administration. “We see an opportunity to expand our strategic relationship with Pakistan, and that’s our job, to figure out where we can work with countries on matters of common interest,” Rubio said. “I don’t think anything we’re doing with Pakistan comes at the expense of our relationship with India.”

Rubio, who is accompanying President Donald Trump on his eastward tour, is expected to meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit 2025 in Malaysia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi skipped the summit this year.

‘Fully Aware of Challenges With India’: Rubio

Rubio acknowledged that there were “difficulties and challenges” in managing ties between India and Pakistan but said the US was “fully aware” of the sensitivities involved. “We’ve had a long history of partnering with Pakistan on counterterror efforts. We’d like to expand it beyond that, if possible. But that does not mean it comes at the cost of India,” he said.

His comments came amid a series of meetings between Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and US officials in recent weeks. Trump has publicly praised both Pakistani leaders, calling them “great people” — remarks that have drawn sharp reactions from Indian analysts wary of renewed US-Pakistan closeness.

Trump’s Tariffs And Trade Tensions With India

Relations between Washington and New Delhi have faced turbulence over Trump’s trade policies. The US President imposed up to 50% tariffs on Indian exports, partly in response to India’s continued purchase of Russian oil despite the Ukraine war.

Rubio, however, downplayed the strain, saying India had already informed Washington of its intention to diversify its oil imports. “India only needs so much oil. The more they buy from us, the less they’ll buy from someone else,” he said, calling India’s approach “a mature, pragmatic foreign policy.”

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Trump has repeatedly claimed that his administration used trade leverage to broker a ceasefire between India and Pakistan during the May conflict earlier this year, which New Delhi has rejected, while Islamabad hailed Trump’s “peace efforts” and even nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize.

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US has recently signed agreements with Pakistan on critical minerals and energy cooperation, further fueling speculation about a shift in American priorities in the region. Rubio dismissed the notion of a zero-sum policy, saying the US valued India as a long-term ally. “India is a friend and partner in every sense. We can strengthen our ties with Pakistan and still build deeper cooperation with India. It’s not one or the other,” he said.

With inputs from agency.