India, US ‘perfectly aligned’ on key issues: Rubio; defends ties with Pakistan

US secretary of state Marco Rubio urged businesses to view the India-US relationship as a strategic partnership spanning technology, trade and security, saying the two countries were “perfectly aligned” on issues that would shape the 21st century, even as he acknowledged that disagreements between them would persist.Addressing a gathering of India Inc’s leading business figures at a Freedom 250 event at BKC, Rubio said the relationship between the two countries could help shape the future of the global economy, particularly as advances in artificial intelligence and quantum computing transform industries and societies.“I truly believe the relationship between US and India is defining, in many ways, in a positive way, what the 21st century can look like,” he said.The gathering included Noel Tata (Tata Trusts), Anand Mahindra (Mahindra Group), Kiran MazumdarShaw (Biocon), Ashok P Hinduja (Hinduja Group), Amit Dixit (Blackstone), Hitendra Dave (HSBC India), K Balasubramanian (Citi India) and Rahul Badhwar (JPMorgan Chase).Rubio identified emerging technologies and secure trade routes as two areas in which the countries’ interests converge.

“US and India are perfectly aligned,” he said, referring to the challenge of harnessing new technologies for public benefit. “We have the same expertise. We have the same talented people working on it, from engineers to creative thinkers and innovators.”He linked economic growth to the security of international shipping routes, arguing that businesses needed the freedom to move goods across borders and reach markets.For India and US, he said, this required “a free and secure Indo-Pacific” in which “no nation can claim dominance or ownership of international shipping lanes”.“No two nations on earth will ever be perfectly aligned on every issue,” he said.

“But on the core issues that matter..., alignment between our countries is extraordinary.”The speech did not signal any immediate change in tariffs or market access.Rubio said he believed US should engage more frequently with India, and he planned to return in three months.US secy of state defends ties with PakistanUS is required to have relationships with countries, including with those with whom it may have some disagreements, said secretary of state Marco Rubio while defending ties with Pakistan and condemning terrorism.

Rubio also confirmed the next Quad leaders’ summit would take place in Manila next month.“In the case of Pakistan, it’s a country that we have to have a relationship with, 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 govt of India has to have and has a relationship and meets with leaders from Iran,” said Rubio speaking to Network 18.“...

It could be a positive thing because if... we can speak to them, it perhaps puts us in a position to help discourage the kinds of things India is worried about,” he added.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.