- Trade agreement talks underscore US commitment to India partnership.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has sought to reassure India over Washington’s growing engagement with Pakistan, saying American relations with any country would not come at the cost of its partnership with New Delhi.
In an interview with The Indian Express during his three-day visit to India, Rubio also said Washington’s ties with Islamabad could help prevent activities that risk triggering conflict, including developments that concern India.
Rubio Addresses India’s Concerns Over US-Pakistan Ties
Rubio’s remarks come amid growing US engagement with Pakistan and its Army Chief, Asim Munir, raising questions about the implications for Washington’s relationship with New Delhi. Responding to concerns over the two relationships, Rubio said the United States did not view its international partnerships as competing with its ties with India.
He said, as per reports, “Our relations with any country in the world are in no way at the expense of our relations with India. We do not view our relations with India from that perspective. I hope that my visit here, our commitment to doing a trade deal, all our discussions so far, and all the work we do together are proof of this.”
Rubio also pointed to ongoing discussions on a trade agreement and broader bilateral cooperation as evidence of Washington’s commitment to its partnership with India.
ALSO READ: ‘Selective Targeting’: India Slams UN Criticism Over Police Response To Delhi Protests
Pakistan Ties Could Help Prevent Conflict, Says Rubio
The US Secretary of State defended Washington’s engagement with Islamabad, arguing that maintaining relations could provide an opportunity to influence developments in a positive direction. “Pakistan is a country with which we have and should have relations,” he said.
He added that these ties could serve a constructive purpose if Washington used its influence to prevent activities that could lead to conflict. “In some ways, this can be a positive thing if we can help prevent activities that could lead to conflict, that is, if we can use our influence in a positive way,” he said.
Rubio Rejects Comparison With Nixon-Kissinger Era
Rubio also dismissed comparisons between US President Donald Trump’s approach to South Asia and American policy during the 1970s, when President Richard Nixon and his National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger maintained close ties with Pakistan’s military government under General Yahya Khan.
He argued that the geopolitical circumstances of that period were fundamentally different from those of today. “I won’t use the 1970s as an example because the world today is completely different from the world we lived then,” Rubio said. “There was a Cold War and many other situations that don’t exist now.”
ALSO READ: Trump Says India-US Trade Deal ‘Pretty Close’, Hints At A Different Kind Of Pact
Trade And Bilateral Cooperation In Focus
During his India visit, Rubio met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to discuss key bilateral and international issues. Trade, alongside wider cooperation between the two countries, remains an important part of the engagement.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: abplive.com
