'They share personal relation': Rubio invites PM Modi on behalf of Trump to visit White House

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the White House in the near future on behalf of US President Donald Trump, signalling a renewed push to deepen ties between New Delhi and Washington despite tensions over trade in recent months.The invitation was announced by US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor following Rubio’s meeting with PM Modi in New Delhi on Saturday. Gor described the discussions as “productive”, saying both sides explored ways to expand cooperation in security, trade and critical technologies while advancing a “free and open Indo-Pacific”.Later, while inaugurating the US Embassy Support Annex Building dedication ceremony in Delhi, Rubio spoke about the close relationship between Prime Minister Modi and Trump, describing it as a strong personal connection that has continued across administrations.“It is a personal relationship (between PM Modi and US President Donald Trump) which dates back to the first administration when the President had a chance to visit here and it has carried over into the second administration. You can just see the connection between them,” Rubio said.“The connection between leaders is incredibly important. These are two very serious leaders who are focused not just on the short term but on the long term,” he added.Rubio also underlined India’s growing importance in Washington’s Indo-Pacific strategy and referred to the Quad grouping as a key part of that approach.“The relationship between our two countries is at the cornerstone of our approach to the Indo-Pacific,” Rubio said. “My very first meeting officially as Secretary of State was a meeting of the Quad. We wanted to do it here, not just because of our commitment to that structure of work, but also as a tangible sign of what an important role India plays in the United States and in our posture and in our approach to the Indo-Pacific.”Rubio, who is on a four-day visit to India, arrived earlier in Kolkata with his wife Jeanette D Rubio before travelling to the national capital. He also visited the Missionaries of Charity headquarters, known as the Mother Teresa House, alongside Gor. The ambassador said the visit reflected the “shared values and the spirit of selfless service that transcends borders” between the two countries.The US Secretary of State is scheduled to hold talks with external affairs minister S. Jaishankar and participate in the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi this week.Before leaving for India, Rubio described India as a “great partner” and said Washington wanted to expand energy cooperation with New Delhi. “We want to sell them as much energy as they’ll buy,” Rubio said while speaking to reporters in Miami.