Marco Rubio arrives in India for first official visit, set for talks with PM Modi and Quad partners

Marco Rubio arrived in Kolkata on Saturday, beginning his first official visit to India ahead of key discussions with Narendra Modi in New Delhi later in the day.

Rubio’s four-day visit, scheduled from May 23 to 26, comes as India and the United States continue to deepen cooperation across trade, defence, energy and Indo-Pacific strategy. The trip also marks the first visit by a US Secretary of State to Kolkata in 14 years, following Hillary Clinton’s visit to the city in 2012.

Confirming his arrival, Sergio Gor said on X that Rubio would meet Prime Minister Modi in Delhi, adding that discussions over the coming days would focus on areas including trade, technology, defence and the Quad partnership.

While the United States Department of State has not publicly released his Kolkata itinerary, sources indicated that Rubio is expected to visit Mother House, the headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity established by Mother Teresa.

Apart from Kolkata and New Delhi, Rubio is also expected to travel to Agra and Jaipur during the visit.

The trip is viewed as particularly important ahead of upcoming Quad discussions and talks on energy cooperation. Before leaving for India, Rubio signaled Washington’s interest in expanding energy exports to India, saying the United States wants to supply India with as much energy as it is willing to purchase.

Responding to questions on rising global energy prices and concerns surrounding potential disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, Rubio described India as a key partner and said he was looking forward to meeting fellow Quad representatives.

The Quad meeting on May 26 is expected to bring together Rubio, S. Jaishankar, Penny Wong and Toshimitsu Motegi for discussions on regional security, connectivity and broader Indo-Pacific cooperation.