India-US Partnership: US Secretary of State Stresses Technology, Trade Routes and a Free Indo-Pacific
The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, addressed leading Indian business figures at a "Freedom 250" event at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai.
He said India and the US are "perfectly aligned" on the core issues that will shape the 21st century, while accepting that the two countries will still disagree on some matters.
He named two areas where interests meet: emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing, and secure international shipping routes.
He called for "a free and secure Indo-Pacific" in which no nation can claim dominance or ownership of international shipping lanes.
On Pakistan, he said the US must keep ties with a nuclear-armed neighbour of India, and that talking to Pakistan could help the US discourage actions that worry India. He also condemned terrorism and said the next Quad leaders' summit would be held in Manila next month.
The speech did not announce any change in tariffs or market access.
India-US Relations: From Estrangement to Strategic Partnership
India and the United States are the world's largest and oldest major democracies. During the Cold War, their relationship was distant, as India followed non-alignment and the US was close to Pakistan. Since the 1990s, and especially after the 2008 civil nuclear deal, the two countries have built one of India's most important partnerships, covering defence, technology, trade and the Indo-Pacific. Differences remain on trade, tariffs and ties with third countries.
The US Secretary of State's speech presented technology and secure trade routes as the core of the partnership, while openly admitting that differences, such as on Pakistan, will continue. This mix of close alignment and managed disagreement is typical of the modern India-US relationship.
The Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue)
The Quad is a group of four democracies: India, the United States, Japan and Australia. The four countries meet regularly to work together for a "free, open and inclusive" Indo-Pacific region. It is not a military alliance and has no treaty or permanent secretariat. It works on areas like maritime security, health, critical technologies, climate and infrastructure.
The US Secretary of State linked the India-US partnership to a free and secure Indo-Pacific, which is the Quad's central aim. He also said the next Quad leaders' summit is planned for next month.
Freedom of Navigation and the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
The world's oceans do not belong to any one country. A single set of rules called the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS, tells countries how much of the sea near their coast they control and what rights other countries' ships have. Freedom of navigation means ships of all countries can sail through international waters and use key sea routes without being blocked by any one nation.
When the US Secretary of State said no nation should claim ownership of international shipping lanes, he was appealing to freedom of navigation under UNCLOS. Secure sea routes matter to India because most of its trade by volume moves by sea.
- Event: "Freedom 250" business gathering, Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai
- Areas of convergence named: AI and quantum computing; secure international shipping routes
- Stated goal: "a free and secure Indo-Pacific"
- Next Quad leaders' summit: stated to be in Manila next month
- India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership: since February 2020
- Foundational defence agreements: GSOMIA (2002), LEMOA (2016), COMCASA (2018), BECA (2020)
- UNCLOS: adopted 1982, in force 1994, ratified by India 1995