US Secretary Marco Rubio’s BIG remark on expanding US-Pakistan ties: ‘Indians are very…’

Amid expanding US-Pakistan ties, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called India ‘mature’ in diplomacy and pragmatic foreign policy. He assured that America’s efforts to strengthen ties with Pakistan will not come at the expense of its ‘good’ partnership with India. 

Rubio on strengthening ties between the US and Pakistan

Pointing out partnering with Islamabad, Rubio emphasised that they have a long history of working with Pakistan on counterterrorism and wants to expand their partnership further. He clarified that Pakistan’s strengthened relationship with the US wasn’t solely due to their recognition of the US role in avoiding potential war with India. Instead, the US had already initiated outreach to rebuild a strategic partnership with Pakistan, exploring areas of mutual interest. 

“No, I think they appreciated – anytime you work with someone, you get to know them and you interact with them, and so I do think there was some sense of happiness about it. But even before that conflict had started, I had already reached out to them and said, Look, we are interested in rebuilding an alliance, a strategic partnership with you. We think there are things we can work together with them on,” he said in a press briefing on Saturday. 

Rubio calls India ‘mature’ in diplomacy

Rubio emphasised that India understands the US needs to engage with multiple countries, ensuring their growing ties with Pakistan don’t compromise their deep, historic, and important friendship with India.  “Look, we’re fully aware of the challenges with regard to India and everything else, but our job is to try to create opportunities for partnerships with countries where it’s possible. And we’ve had a long history of partnering with Pakistan on counterterror and things of that nature. We’d like to expand it beyond that, if possible, and understand that there’ll be some difficulties and some challenges. But I think it’s a very encouraging thing that that relationship has strengthened the way that it has, and I don’t think it comes at the expense or instead of a good relationship with India, or anybody else for that matter,” he said. 

Rubio mentioned that the US is pursuing a pragmatic foreign policy to engage with multiple partners, while describing India as “mature” in diplomacy. “I think they have to understand we have to have relations with a lot of different countries. We see an opportunity to expand our strategic relationship with Pakistan, and I think we’ve made – that’s our job, is to try to figure out how many countries we can find, how we can work with on things of common interest. So, I think the Indians are very mature when it comes to diplomacy and things of that nature. Look, they have some relationships with countries that we don’t have relationships with. So, it’s part of a mature, pragmatic foreign policy. I don’t think anything we’re doing with Pakistan comes at the expense of our relationship or friendship with India, which is deep, historic, and important,” he added.

The concern comes as the US and Pakistan get closer, with the US Strategic Metals (USSM) and the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) in Pakistan signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop a critical minerals partnership, which includes a $500 million investment agreement. The US also sealed a trade deal with Pakistan as its officials wrapped up talks in Washington, agreeing to develop oil reserves.