New Delhi: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday said India’s concerns regarding Pakistan continue to revolve around cross-border terrorism, while clarifying that Islamabad’s reported role in mediating the US-Iran situation was not discussed during his meetings in Delhi.
Addressing the media during his India visit, Rubio noted that Indian officials consistently raise concerns about militant groups operating from Pakistani territory.
“India is always pointing to the fact that there are armed terrorist groups operating from Pakistani territory that target India,” Rubio said, stressing that the issue remains a major concern for New Delhi.
However, he stated that Pakistan’s alleged involvement as a facilitator in matters related to Iran did not come up during discussions with Indian leaders.
“As far as the role they played as a mediator and a facilitator in the Iran situation, it never came up,” Rubio remarked, adding that India’s issues with Pakistan stem from different concerns.
The US Secretary of State also addressed recent controversy surrounding racist remarks targeting Indian Americans online. Rubio said social media platforms often amplify irresponsible and extreme opinions from anonymous users.
“In the modern era, you go online, and there are people saying all kinds of crazy stuff online,” he said, adding that such comments should not be viewed as representative of official US positions.
Rubio reaffirmed the strength of ties between Washington and New Delhi, highlighting the relationship between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The President loves India. The President is a big fan of India and Prime Minister Modi,” Rubio stated, emphasizing the administration’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations.
He further acknowledged that offensive online commentary is a global issue and not unique to any one country.
Rubio’s India visit comes weeks after Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri travelled to Washington DC for talks aimed at stabilising bilateral relations after a period of diplomatic strain.
During his trip, Rubio visited the Taj Mahal in Agra and is scheduled to travel to Jaipur ahead of the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on May 26, which is expected to be a major highlight of his four-day visit to India.
