Marco Rubio to start first India visit on May 23

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will pay his first visit to India between May 23 and 26, the U.S. State Department said.

The visit will be closely watched as it comes against the backdrop of the U.S.’s continued engagement in hostilities in the Persian Gulf region, which have had consequences for India’s energy security.

Mr. Rubio’s visit is part of a tightly packed Indian diplomatic calendar for this summer and monsoon season, with New Delhi expected to host meetings of BRICS, the Quad, the India-Africa Forum Summit, and other platforms.

“As America gets ready to celebrate our 250th birthday, we look forward to doing it with our partners in India. India is the world’s largest democracy, and we are the world’s oldest. So, we look forward to celebrating it together,” Mr. Rubio said, in a video message that was shared on X by the U.S. Embassy in India. He will visit Kolkata, Agra, Jaipur, and New Delhi.