Marco Rubio knelt in prayer at Mother Teresa’s tomb on Saturday morning, seeking blessings for what may be one of the toughest diplomatic assignments of his career: repairing a US-India partnership battered by tariffs, trade wars, and Washington’s unexpected embrace of New Delhi’s rivals.
The US secretary of state’s four-day visit, his first to South Asia, unfolds at a moment of deep uncertainty. The traditional pillars of the relationship – shared democratic values and strategic counterbalancing of China – have been shaken by Donald Trump’s aggressive trade policies and renewed American engagement with both Pakistan and China, reports agencies.
Rubio’s decision to begin his journey in Kolkata rather than New Delhi sent an intentional signal of softness. But that warmth will face a harsh test when he meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi later Saturday. The agenda includes energy security, defense cooperation, and trade – the most treacherous ground.
Last year, Trump slapped a 50 percent tariff on Indian imports, including a punitive levy tied to New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil. An interim February agreement reduced that rate, but the reprieve appears temporary. The administration is pursuing investigations that could restore the original penalties.
“We want to sell them as much energy as they’ll buy,” Rubio said before departing. But the US-Israeli conflict with Iran has complicated American efforts to wean India off Russian crude – a persistent irritant.
The geopolitical landscape has shifted further. Trump’s recent Beijing visit amplified Indian anxieties about being sidelined. Meanwhile, Washington has grown closer to Pakistan, which has emerged as a key interlocutor in ending the Iran war – a development New Delhi views with deep suspicion.
“It’s created a perfect storm of anxiety in India,” said Basant Sanghera, a former State Department expert. “But ties have stabilised, and both sides are trying to build momentum.”
That momentum appears fragile. Sources describe US frustration with India’s perceived foot-dragging in trade negotiations. “I do not expect Secretary Rubio will have much impact in changing the downward trajectory,” said Richard Rossow of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “The lack of a trade agreement clouds other areas of engagement.”
Adding to the strain, India’s requests for a Trump visit tied to a Quad summit remain unanswered. When Rubio meets other Quad foreign ministers next week, it will mark the third such gathering without leader-level participation – what analysts call an effective downgrade of the grouping formed to counter Chinese influence.
Rubio will travel to Agra and Jaipur before departing. Whether the Taj Mahal’s timeless beauty can inspire the kind of compromise that has so far eluded negotiators remains uncertain. For now, the secretary leaves Kolkata with Mother Teresa’s blessing – and a long list of unresolved disputes awaiting him in the capital.
