With an India-US trade agreement nearing completion and Washington pushing New Delhi to expand energy and defence cooperation, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday described the strategic alignment between the two countries as "extraordinary", even as differences over trade and immigration continued to strain bilateral relations.
During a series of engagements in Mumbai, Rubio held wide-ranging bilateral talks with external affairs minister S. Jaishankar, joined him and UAE foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan for a trilateral meeting on regional energy security, and advocated greater Indian purchases of American technologies and defence systems.
The discussions took place against the backdrop of escalating tensions in West Asia, disruptions to global oil supplies and continuing uncertainty over the proposed India-US trade agreement.
Speaking at the 'Freedom 250' reception in Mumbai, Rubio acknowledged that differences between the two countries were inevitable but maintained that their broader strategic interests remained closely aligned.
"Of course there will be times and points of disagreement, but on the core issues that matter, the core issues that define the national interest of both India and the United States, the alignment between our countries is extraordinary, especially for two countries of this size," he said.
Rubio identified a free and open Indo-Pacific, where no country could claim dominance over international shipping routes, as one of the central areas of shared interest.
He also described the India-US relationship as crucial to shaping the coming decades.
"I truly believe the relationship between the United States and India is defining in many ways, in a positive way, what the 21st century can look like," he said.
The US Secretary of State, who arrived in Mumbai on Tuesday afternoon, also said he did not visit India as frequently as he should, describing the region as one that would shape the history of the 21st century.
India-US trade agreement close to completion, says Rubio
Earlier, Rubio indicated that negotiations over the proposed bilateral trade agreement were approaching their final stages, with only a handful of issues remaining unresolved.
Responding to a question about the pact, he expressed hope that the agreement would be finalised soon and subsequently signed by the leaders of the two countries.
"I would say we're about as close as you can be without having an executed agreement. I think there's a small number of items left to wrap up. So I think that will happen shortly -- we're hoping, which it should -- and hopefully have some good news to announce fairly soon. And perhaps the leaders can sign it thereafter," he said.
The remarks came amid continuing friction between New Delhi and Washington over American tariffs, immigration restrictions and energy trade.
India-US relations had deteriorated after Washington imposed punitive tariffs on Indian goods last year. President Donald Trump's repeated assertions about his role in de-escalating the India-Pakistan military confrontation of May 2025 had also drawn sharp reactions from Indian officials.
Changes to Washington's immigration policies, including higher H-1B visa fees, further complicated the relationship.
More recently, US restrictions affecting a key green-card processing programme for major global and Indian technology companies, including Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro, added to the strain.
Despite these differences, Rubio's comments suggested that Washington remained keen to expand cooperation in areas considered strategically important to both countries.
Washington seeks greater energy, defence cooperation
Jaishankar hosted Rubio for bilateral discussions shortly after the American diplomat arrived in Mumbai.
Following the meeting, the external affairs minister said the two sides had reviewed opportunities to strengthen cooperation across several sectors.
"Shared views on further advancement of our ties, focusing on trade, energy, technology, defence and people-to-people ties," Jaishankar said in a social media post.
The US State Department said the ministers had also discussed regional and global developments, including the evolving situation in West Asia.
"The secretary reiterated that increased energy trade with the United States can play a transformative role in diversifying India's supply chains while meeting its sizable consumer demand," it said.
The department added that Rubio had welcomed recent progress in defence and civil nuclear cooperation while advocating greater Indian purchases of American technologies and systems.
"He also commended recent progress in bilateral defense and civil nuclear cooperation, and advocated for the increased purchase of US technologies and systems, which can enhance the security and prosperity of both our countries," the statement said.
Rubio later posted on X that his discussions with Jaishankar had focused on energy security and defence cooperation while reaffirming the importance of the strategic partnership.
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, who attended the meeting, described the talks as productive and said both countries were working to deepen cooperation in defence, energy, emerging technologies and trade.
Rubio calls India a refining 'superpower', backs Venezuelan crude imports
Energy cooperation emerged as a major focus of Rubio's visit, with the US Secretary of State urging India to diversify its oil imports and consider processing larger quantities of Venezuelan crude.
Ahead of his meeting with Jaishankar, Rubio described India as a crude oil refining "superpower" and highlighted the capabilities of its petroleum industry.
"India is a refining superpower. They have the ability to do that and they have companies that know how to do that," he said.
Rubio also pointed to existing oil concessions held by certain Indian companies in Venezuela, suggesting that the South American country could become an important source of crude for Indian refiners.
"I'm not claiming to you that Venezuela alone can fill the hole that could be caused by some of the things that are happening around the world, but I think over time, it most certainly can, and in the short term, it can certainly provide the means," he said.
He maintained that India had shown willingness to explore such arrangements.
"So, that's one of the things we'll talk about. With India, we've talked about it in the past, and they sound ready. They're ready to do it; they're willing to do it," Rubio said.
Asked whether Washington remained dissatisfied with India's purchases of Russian crude, Rubio acknowledged New Delhi's efforts to diversify its energy sources.
"I think what India has expressed repeatedly is its desire to diversify their energy portfolio, which is a smart thing to do. Obviously, it's not easy to do that from one day to the next day," he said.
He added that India had made substantial progress and that the United States could help meet its energy requirements.
"I think they've made substantial progress in that regard, and we're happy to see that. But in the end, it's not just about Russian oil; it's about their desire to diversify, and obviously we think we can be a source of some of their energy inputs," he said.
The US Secretary of State was scheduled to visit Reliance Industries' Jamnagar refinery on Wednesday.
Explaining the significance of the visit, Rubio linked energy security directly to national security.
"Energy is related to national security. Countries fight wars over energy; economies collapse over lack of energy. We're going to go see a company that has a tremendous amount of refining capability. It makes all the sense in the world to talk to them about it," he said.
His remarks came days after Trump suspended certain sanctions against Russia and five major buyers of Russian oil, including India.
The US President had also announced an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to release hundreds of thousands of tonnes of Russian diesel into the global market.
India, US and UAE discuss West Asia crisis in Mumbai
Alongside the bilateral engagements, Jaishankar, Rubio and UAE foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan held trilateral talks in Mumbai on Tuesday, focusing on regional energy security, connectivity and economic cooperation.
Al Nahyan had arrived in India on Monday evening for a two-day visit.
The three ministers also discussed the broader security situation in West Asia and the economic consequences of Iran's continuing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, according to information about the meeting.
"It was great to meet with Indian external affairs minister @DrSJaishankar and UAE foreign minister @ABZayed to discuss regional energy security and advance our shared economic priorities," Rubio said on social media.
Jaishankar described the meeting as a "useful exchange of perspectives on energy, connectivity and contemporary developments."
The discussions came as global oil supplies faced severe disruptions following Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most strategically important energy routes.
Roughly 20 per cent of global petroleum flows through the narrow waterway, making disruptions to shipping a major concern for energy-importing countries.
The continuing conflict involving Iran has also increased pressure on alternative oil transportation routes across West Asia.
Houthi attacks raise concerns over Saudi oil infrastructure
The regional energy crisis has deepened following a series of strikes by the Iran-backed Houthi group against Saudi Arabia.
Among the targets was the kingdom's East-West oil pipeline, which has become particularly important for maintaining crude exports amid disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The pipeline provides an alternative route for Saudi oil exports, allowing shipments to bypass the affected waterway.
India has expressed serious concern over attacks on Saudi Arabia's civilian infrastructure and economic assets, warning that such strikes undermine regional stability and threaten freedom of navigation.
The attacks have also raised fears over shipping through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, another crucial maritime chokepoint.
Located between the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, Bab-el-Mandeb connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.
Disruptions to the passage could further complicate international trade and energy transportation at a time when global markets are already facing supply constraints.
During his interaction with reporters, Rubio also referred to the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and Houthi attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure, saying the developments had contributed to energy shortages, including diesel shortages in several countries.
Jaishankar, Rubio pay tribute to 26/11 victims
Apart from their diplomatic and economic engagements, Jaishankar and Rubio visited the 26/11 memorial at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai to honour the victims of the November 2008 terror attacks.
The attacks had claimed the lives of several foreign nationals, including six American citizens.
Both ministers laid wreaths at the memorial and reaffirmed their countries' commitment to combating terrorism.
"We must continue our strong partnership in combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations," Jaishankar said in a social media post.
Rubio also paid tribute to those killed and the security personnel who responded to the attacks.
"At the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, I laid a wreath honoring the victims of the horrific November 26, 2008 terrorist attacks, including six American citizens," he said.
"We remember those lost, honour the courage of those who responded, and reaffirm the enduring US-India partnership and our shared commitment to combating terrorism," he added.
The engagements in Mumbai highlighted Washington's efforts to strengthen its strategic relationship with New Delhi despite unresolved differences over trade and immigration, while the two countries sought closer cooperation on energy security, defence and regional stability.