US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to India on Saturday for a three-day visit covering Kolkata, Agra, Jaipur, and New Delhi.

He will discuss energy security, trade, and defense cooperation with senior Indian officials, US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement on Tuesday.

The visit comes as relations between US President Donald Trump and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi continue to fluctuate. Analysts say Rubio’s trip is part of Washington’s attempt to mend bilateral ties.

Rubio will spend several days in India ahead of a meeting of foreign ministers from the informal Quad security forum comprising the US, Japan, Australia, and India in New Delhi on May 26. The Quad, often referred to as “the Asian version of NATO,” was formed as a response to China’s rising power.

Rubio’s visit also comes days after the Trump administration moved to dismiss US criminal fraud charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, accused of bribing Indian officials with up to $265 million. The case was dropped after Adani pledged a $10 billion investment in the US.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a 30-day extension of a sanctions waiver allowing purchases of Russian seaborne oil, temporarily easing pressure on major buyers like India.

Observers say both moves—the dismissal of charges against Adani and the sanctions waiver extension—can be seen as attempts to boost relations with India.

Analysts note that Rubio’s visit aims to repair ties after tensions last year, when Trump imposed additional 25% tariffs on Indian goods as punishment for India’s continued purchase of Russian oil.

Relations are also complicated by India-Pakistan tensions. In April, an attack in Pahalgam killed 26 people, leading to armed clashes between the two countries. A ceasefire was brokered on May 10, but tensions remain high.

Source: www.aljazeera.com