Marco Rubio’s Visit And A New Melody For India-US Ties
Author Saurabh Shukla believes US-India ties are at a critical juncture and have suffered from missed opportunities due to a slow, bureaucratic 'wait-and-see' approach. He argues that the personal goodwill between PM Modi and Trump alone cannot sustain the partnership. According to him, India must adapt to the Trump administration’s direct, transactional common sense style by deploying more dynamic leadership in DC and encouraging stronger engagement from Indian business leaders.
Marco Rubio’s visit to India comes at a time of strategic crossroads for the US-India ties. At a juncture when the relationship needs reimagination and a fresh boost of new energy.
The big moment of opportunity created post the visit of the Indian Prime Minister to Washington DC in February 2025, and the great personal chemistry between US President Donald Trump and PM Narendra Modi wasn’t capitalised duly in Washington, which led to several missed opportunities.
The worst has been that the Indian establishment in DC has failed to understand the dynamic nature of the functioning of the Trump administration. The old world, wait-and-see approach has proved to be a disaster.
If it wasn’t for the US Ambassador in Delhi Sergio Gor and some informal interlocutors with access to the Trump administration who intervened at strategic choke points, the trajectory of the US-India partnership would have nosedived beyond redemption.
Missed Opportunities And Public Diplomacy Deficit
On the bilateral ties, on trade and defence, the pace could have been faster and smoother. There were instances of several missed opportunities, especially when it came to creating the right outreach of the relationship in DC, which matters a great deal here in the US.US
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri came to DC recently at a critical point. There was no media interaction, informal or formal; the Army Chief of India was in DC when India was celebrating the start of Operation Sindoor. Again, there was no media interaction, and India missed out on a critical moment in public diplomacy to bring out its strong position on terrorism and on Operation Sindoor effectively in DC.
DC is a city of networking and making connections, and that is what most Ambassadors do, but a sleeping on the wheel attitude for India is costing India’s national interest dearly.
Goodwill Alone Cannot Sustain The Partnership
The goodwill between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump alone can not take the relationship out of its bumpy phase.
Sure, some imagination and out-of-the-box moments have been displayed by India’s consulates, but when the nerve centre is in an unimaginative go-slow mode, it impacts the pace of the relationship. Now is the time for India to think out of the box and imaginatively use Rubio’s visit to Delhi for a new stepping stone for closer partnership with Washington.
Trade, Investments And ‘Trump 2.0’ Approach
On trade, which is the buzzword for the administration, the new investment promise of $30 billion by the Adani group has come at a golden moment. It can open fresh doorways for engagement, and we need to ensure that the promise is implemented into concrete outcomes.
For that, a strong Indian business push is needed, and India’s business tycoons need to play a leading role here which can be pivotal for a US-India economic partnership and also push our strategic deals.
Under the Trump 2.0 administration, it is a more direct transactional approach that works, what President Trump likes to call the common sense approach.
Why Rubio’s Visit Matters
We have to rethink India’s approach in DC, we don’t need rusty file pushers but dynamic people with imaginative ideas, so the DC end of the relationship works at an equal pace and gives New Delhi the right strategic direction.
The visit of Marco Rubio presents that opportunity to engage Rubio across the full spectrum of our relationship. He is the only Secretary of State post-Henry Kissinger to hold a dual charge of National Security Advisor. His voice matters in DC and to US President Trump.
Time For A New 'Melody Moment’
Marco Rubio is one of the closest Trump whisperers and also one of the top GOP nominees for the presidential nomination in 2028. New Delhi shouldn’t be constrained by reciprocity of access but the long term strategic vision of the US-India partnership, which can be great with some imaginative and out-of-the-box approach. Diplomacy is all about imagination, and leaders like US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi understand the nuances well. It is time for India and the US to have their Melody moment.
The author of the article is the Founder of NewsMobile, a prominent global commentator on foreign affairs, and Chief Consulting Editor of Republic Media Network.
Published By : Moumita Mukherjee
Published On: 21 May 2026 at 08:42 IST