Rubio hails India-US ties as he extends warm wishes on Independence Day

Amid strained ties, the US Department of State released a statment, wishing India on its 78th Independence Day. On Friday, the department released a statement hailing the strong ties between the “world’s largest and the oldest democracies.”

In his wishes, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that India and the US share a vision in the Indo-Pacific region and a partnership across different sectors. “On behalf of the United States, I extend our congratulations and warm wishes to the people of India as they celebrate their Independence Day on August 15,” Rubio said in a statement on Friday.

“The historic relationship between the world’s largest democracy and the world’s oldest democracy is consequential and far-reaching. Our two countries are united by our shared vision for a more peaceful, prosperous, and secure Indo-Pacific region.”

“Our partnership spans industries, promotes innovation, pushes the boundaries of critical and emerging technologies, and extends into space,” the statement further reads.

Rubio insisted that both nations should work together to overcome the modern challenges that the world currently faces. “Working together, the United States and India will rise to the modern challenges of today and ensure a brighter future for both our countries,” Rubio averred.

India-US ties remain strong amid tensions

India-US ties have deteriorated significantly after Trump announced nearly 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods. The White House argued that the tariffs were imposed because India purchased Russian oil amid the ongoing Ukraine war, with senior officials in the Trump administration accusing India of helping Russia in the conflict.

While economic ties between the two nations have witnessed a strain, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday underlined the importance of defence ties between India and the United States, terming them as a key component of the overall bilateral relationship.

“The India–US defence partnership, underpinned by foundational defence agreements, is an important pillar of the bilateral partnership,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a media briefing on Friday.

“This robust cooperation has strengthened across all domains. We are expecting a US Defence Policy Team to be in Delhi in mid-August. The 21st edition of the joint military exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas’ is also expected to take place later this month in Alaska. Both sides remain engaged to convene the 2+2 Intersessional meeting at the working level towards the end of this month,” he added.

However, on the recent Human Rights report issued by the US State Department, Jaiswal reiterated India’s strong objection, saying such assessments were “a mix of imputations, misrepresentations and one-sided projections” that showed “a poor understanding of India’s democratic framework, pluralistic society and robust institutional mechanisms for protecting human rights.”

Jaiswal also noted that no decision had yet been taken on whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi would attend the United Nations General Assembly next month.