US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to travel to India in May, marking his first visit to the country since assuming office. The announcement was made by US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, following a series of high-level discussions in Washington.
While the exact dates of the visit have not been disclosed, Gor confirmed the development on X, stating, “Secretary Rubio looks forward to visiting India next month." The visit comes at a time when both countries are working to recalibrate ties that had faced strain due to recent US tariff measures.
Focus on trade, defence and strategic cooperation
Rubio’s upcoming trip follows his meeting with India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in Washington. The discussions covered a broad range of areas, including trade, critical minerals, defence cooperation and the Quad.
Sharing details of the meeting, Gor wrote on X, “Welcome to the White House, @VikramMisri! Productive meeting with @SecRubio that focused on our bilateral relationship, especially trade, critical minerals, defence and the Quad."
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Welcome to the White House @VikramMisri! Productive meeting with @SecRubio that focused on our bilateral relationship, especially trade, critical minerals, defense and the Quad. Secretary Rubio looks forward to visiting India next month! pic.twitter.com/7QQrbCXBkg
— Ambassador Sergio Gor (@USAmbIndia) April 9, 2026
In a separate post, the Indian Embassy highlighted that both sides reiterated their commitment to strengthening engagement across these sectors, with the aim of advancing the India–US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.
Parallel engagements in Washington
During his visit, Misri also met other senior US officials, including Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker.
Hooker noted that discussions centred on expanding cooperation in security, defence and economic areas. “We are finding practical ways to make both Americans and Indians safer and more prosperous, including through the Quad," she stated.
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According to State Department Principal Deputy Spokesman Tommy Pigott, Landau and Misri also reviewed regional and global developments, including the situation in the Persian Gulf, while reaffirming the strength of the bilateral partnership.
Trade tensions and recent developments
The planned visit comes amid evolving trade dynamics between the two countries. In February, India and the United States reached a trade agreement that removed steep US tariffs on Indian goods and outlined a roadmap to enhance bilateral trade. However, specific details of the agreement are still being worked out.
The agreement was described as “historic" by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with tariff rates on Indian goods reportedly reduced from 50 per cent to 18 per cent.
On 20 February, the US Supreme Court struck down tariffs imposed earlier under emergency provisions. The same day, Trump introduced a new blanket tariff of 10 per cent, which was raised to 15 per cent a day later under a separate legal framework.
