US Secretary of State Marco Rubio Meets Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi

New Delhi. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday.

During the meeting, Secretary of State Rubio handed over a formal invitation to visit the US on behalf of US President Donald Trump to Prime Minister Modi.

According to ANI, the two leaders held detailed discussions on cooperation in defense, trade, energy, strategic technology, and the Indo-Pacific region. The latest situation in West Asia and the Iran crisis were also seriously discussed in the meeting.

Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gore, and US Under Secretary Aliceon Hooker were present at this high-level meeting.

Rubio's visit comes within a week of US President Trump's visit to China. US media have interpreted this not just as a diplomatic visit but as a damage control mission.

'New York Times' reports that Trump's recent visit to China has created new stirrings in Asian politics. In Beijing, Trump openly praised Chinese President Xi Jinping, addressing him as 'great leader' and 'special friend', which has increased India's concern.

For the past year, relations between India and the US have shown signs of coldness over some issues. Last year, Trump imposed heavy tariffs on India. Against this backdrop, Prime Minister Modi's refusal to recommend Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize and India's public rejection of Trump's claim of mediating the India-Pakistan dispute are considered the main reasons.

Furthermore, Trump's recent praise for Pakistani leaders and his proposal of Pakistan as a mediator in the war with Iran has created new tension. India has received this as a sign that Washington is once again giving importance to Pakistan.

In such a complex situation, diplomatic experts say that the main objective of Rubio's visit is to revive the old relationship with India and to clarify to India the direction of the Trump administration's Asian strategy and its relationship with China.