Sun Oct 26 14:06:19 UTC 2025: Summary:

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, ahead of a trip to Malaysia and a meeting with India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, addressed concerns about the U.S.’s evolving relationship with Pakistan. He stated that while the U.S. seeks to expand its strategic partnership with Pakistan, it will not come at the expense of its “deep, historic, and important” ties with India. Rubio also noted India’s existing interest in diversifying its crude oil procurement away from Russia, hinting at potential for increased U.S. oil sales to India. The upswing in U.S.-Pakistan ties followed President Trump’s involvement in a ceasefire between India and Pakistan earlier in the year.

News Article:

U.S. Assures India: Pakistan Ties Won’t Undermine “Deep” Relationship

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – October 26, 2025 (The Hindu) – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reassured India today that burgeoning U.S.-Pakistan relations will not jeopardize the longstanding partnership between Washington and New Delhi. Speaking to reporters ahead of the ASEAN summit in Malaysia and a scheduled meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Monday, Rubio addressed concerns stemming from a recent upswing in U.S.-Pakistan ties.

“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,” Rubio stated. He acknowledged India’s concerns, stating, “They (India) 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.”

The strengthening of U.S.-Pakistan relations has been particularly noticeable since President Donald Trump’s involvement in brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan following a military conflict in May.

Rubio also touched upon India’s energy policies, noting that New Delhi has already expressed a desire to diversify its crude oil procurement, potentially opening the door for increased U.S. oil sales. “They’ve (India) already expressed a desire to diversify their oil portfolio, even before all of this came up. So, obviously the more we sell them, the less they’ll buy from someone else. And, but, we’ll see where we wind up on all that,” he said.

The Secretary of State’s remarks come at a crucial time as the U.S. seeks to balance its strategic interests in the region while maintaining strong relationships with both India and Pakistan. The meeting between Rubio and Jaishankar on Monday is expected to further address these issues and reaffirm the commitment to a continued robust partnership.

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