US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has assured India that Washington's relationship with Pakistan, or any other country, will never come at the expense of its ties with New Delhi, amid reported concerns over closer US engagement with Islamabad.
In an interview with The Indian Express published on Wednesday, Rubio was asked whether the United States was returning to the approach adopted during the 1970s, when then-President Richard Nixon and his national security adviser Henry Kissinger were seen as favouring Pakistan.
“What everyone should be assured of in India is that our relationship, not just with Pakistan but with any country in the world, will never come at the expense of our relationship. We don’t view it that way in our relationship with India,” Rubio said.
He pointed to his visits to India, Washington's commitment to a trade agreement with New Delhi and ongoing bilateral engagements as evidence of the strength of the relationship between the two countries.
Rubio is in India on a three-day official visit. He arrived in Mumbai on Tuesday and met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Following their meeting, the US secretary of state said the two countries were “very close” to finalising a trade deal, with only a few issues remaining. On Wednesday, he travelled to Jamnagar for the second leg of his visit.
Rubio says Nixon-Kissinger era is not a model for today
Rubio rejected comparisons between the current US approach to South Asia and the Nixon-Kissinger era, saying he would “not use the 1970s as an example” for the present situation.
“The world looks nothing like it did back then. Back then, we had the Cold War and all sorts of other dynamics that no longer exist,” he told The Indian Express.
The reference was to the period between 1969 and 1974, when Nixon and Kissinger were perceived as having a pro-Pakistan tilt. Their approach contrasted with that of former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi, particularly during the conflict that led to the creation of Bangladesh.
During the 1971 war, Indian forces advanced into then East Pakistan, which became Bangladesh and was recognised as an independent country three days after the relevant developments described in the historical account.
Rubio said Pakistan remained one of the countries with which the United States maintained diplomatic relations. He argued that engagement with Islamabad could also serve a constructive purpose if Washington used its influence to discourage actions that might lead to conflict.
“In some ways, it could be a positive thing if we could help discourage actions that could potentially lead to conflict, if we could use our influence in ways that are positive…” he said.
Rubio says US needs a relationship with nuclear-armed Pakistan
In a separate interview with CNBC TV18, Rubio explained why Washington needed to maintain ties with Islamabad, pointing to Pakistan's nuclear capabilities and geographical position.
“It's a country that possesses nuclear weapons. It's a country that, from a geographic standpoint, we need to be able to interact with them, in much the same way as the government of India has to have and has a relationship and meets with leaders from Iran,” he said.
Rubio acknowledged that balancing such relationships was difficult but maintained that managing them was an unavoidable part of American foreign policy.
His remarks come amid reported concerns about Washington's engagement with Pakistan and whether it could affect the US partnership with India. Rubio's response sought to distinguish the two relationships, maintaining that cooperation with Islamabad would not be pursued at New Delhi's expense.
Rubio and Jaishankar discuss trade, energy and defence
Rubio's meeting with Jaishankar in Mumbai on Tuesday focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation, including trade, energy, technology, defence and people-to-people ties.
During the discussions, the US secretary of state urged India to increase energy trade with the United States and expand its purchases of American technologies and defence systems.
Jaishankar said on social media that the two sides had discussed ways to further advance their relationship, with a focus on trade, energy, technology, defence and people-to-people connections. They also exchanged views on regional developments.
Rubio travelled to India for the second time in less than five months, accompanied by a large business delegation. His visit comes as the two countries continue efforts to conclude a trade agreement.
Following the Mumbai meeting, Rubio said Washington and New Delhi were close to finalising the deal, with only a few outstanding items left to resolve.
Jamnagar visit to focus on energy cooperation
Rubio travelled to Jamnagar on Wednesday for the second leg of his three-day visit, with discussions expected to include enhanced energy cooperation, news agency ANI reported.
Jamnagar is home to one of the world's largest refinery complexes, operated by Reliance Industries.
Energy has emerged as a key area of discussion between India and the United States, alongside defence and trade. Rubio's call for increased Indian purchases of American energy and technology formed part of the wider effort to deepen economic and strategic cooperation between the two countries.
His latest comments on Pakistan, meanwhile, underline Washington's stated position that its engagement with other countries will not come at the cost of its partnership with India.