Marco Rubio calls India an ‘ally, strategic partner’, but flags differences over Russia ties: ‘Not going to align 100%..

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Aug 1, 2025

Marco Rubio calls India an ‘ally, strategic partner’, but flags differences over Russia ties: ‘Not going to align 100%..

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Marco Rubio calls India an ‘ally, strategic partner’, but flags differences over Russia ties: ‘Not going to align 100%..

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called India a “strategic ally” when it comes to global trade. However, he noted it’s unrealistic to expect that two countries or allies will agree on everything all the time in foreign policy. Rubio said India has “huge energy needs and that includes the ability to buy oil and coal and gas” He added, “Unfortunately, that is helping to sustain the Russian war effort. So it is most certainly a point of irritation in our relationship with India”

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After US President Donald Trump imposed an unspecified penalty on India in response to its trade with Russia for crude oil, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called India a “strategic ally” when it comes to global trade; however, he noted it’s unrealistic to expect that two countries or allies will agree on everything all the time in foreign policy.

“Look, global trade – India is an ally. It’s a strategic partner. Like anything in foreign policy, you’re not going to align 100 per cent of the time on everything,” Fox Radio quoted US Secretary of State Rubio as saying.

While reacting to a question on Trump’s announcement of the 25 per cent tariff on India, including an additional penalty for buying Russian military equipment and energy, Rubio said India has “huge energy needs and that includes the ability to buy oil and coal and gas and things that it needs to power its economy like every country does, and it buys it from Russia, because Russian oil is sanctioned and cheap and – meaning they have to – in many cases, they’re selling it under the global price because of the sanctions.”

Also Read | Indian state refiners stopped buying Russian oil amid Trump tariff row: Report

He added, “Unfortunately, that is helping to sustain the Russian war effort. So it is most certainly a point of irritation in our relationship with India – not the only point of irritation. We also have many other points of cooperation with them.

Rubio mentioned, “But I think what you’re seeing the President express is the very clear frustration that with so many other oil vendors available, India continues to buy so much from Russia, which in essence is helping to fund the war effort” and enabling this war to not stop in Ukraine.

India and Russia are ‘dead economies’, Trump claims While expressing the displeasure over India-Russia trade, Trump claimed both as “dead economies”, stressing he doesn’t care what India does with Russia as it has always “bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia’s largest buyer of energy, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to stop the killing in Ukraine — All things not Good!”

India has asserted it will take all required steps to protect and foster national interest and that the outcomes of the tariffs are being assessed.

Source: Livemint.com | View original article

Source: https://www.livemint.com/news/us-news/marco-rubio-calls-india-an-ally-strategic-partner-but-flags-differences-over-russia-ties-not-going-to-align-100-11754012747296.html