Kolkata is set to host a US secretary of state for the first time in 14 years as Marco Rubio arrives in the city on Saturday for an eight-hour stopover. Rubio, a close foreign policy aide to US President Donald Trump who also serves as acting National Security Advisor, is scheduled to visit the Missionaries of Charity and Victoria Memorial during his brief stay before continuing his India tour.
Historic Visit
The last US secretary of state to visit Kolkata was Hillary Clinton in 2012, when she met then Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Writers' Buildings. Rubio's arrival comes at a politically significant moment, just weeks after West Bengal witnessed a historic election that ended a 15-year regime.
Four-Day India Itinerary
Rubio will undertake a four-day visit to India from May 23 to 26, with stops in Kolkata, Agra, Jaipur, and New Delhi. His discussions with Indian officials are expected to focus on energy cooperation, trade, defence, and regional security issues. His flight is likely to land at Kolkata airport from Sweden at 7:30 am.
Strategic Engagement
Rubio's Kolkata visit unfolds against the backdrop of growing strategic engagement between India and the United States. Ahead of his departure, he described India as a "great partner" and signalled Washington's intent to deepen energy ties. Speaking to reporters in Miami before leaving for Sweden and India, Rubio said the US was willing to expand its energy exports significantly. "We want to sell them as much energy as they'll buy," he said, responding to a question on India's energy security concerns amid global oil market volatility. He added that Washington wanted energy supplies from the US to become a larger component of India's portfolio and stressed that there was "a lot to work on" between the two countries.
Quad and Diplomatic Engagements
Rubio also underlined the broader strategic value of the India relationship, calling his trip "important" because it would include discussions with Indian lawmakers and interactions with foreign ministers of the Quad grouping. The diplomatic engagement will culminate in New Delhi on May 26 when India hosts the Quad foreign ministers' meeting involving the US, Japan, and Australia.
