'India's issue with Pakistan different': Rubio on Islamabad's mediator role
What's the story
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that India is always concerned about Pakistan but hasn't objected to its mediation role in the ongoing US-Iran conflict. Speaking to reporters during his four-day visit to India, Rubio said New Delhi has not raised any concerns over Islamabad's mediation efforts. "They're always concerned about it, obviously," he said, referring to India's worries over terrorist groups operating from Pakistani territory.
Rubio
'Their issue with Pakistan is different'
"India is always pointing to the fact that there are armed terrorist groups operating from Pakistani territory that target India. They're always concerned about that. But as far as the role they played as a mediator and a facilitator in the Iran situation, it never came up," he said. "I don't think that they would complain about that. I mean, their issue with Pakistan is different."
Diplomatic stance
Addressing concerns over US engagement with Pakistan
Rubio also indirectly addressed concerns over the US administration's engagement with Pakistan's military leadership. He said that while the US has relations with many countries, it doesn't come at the expense of its strategic alliance with India. "But I don't view our relation with any country in the world as coming at the expense of our strategic alliance with India," he told HT.
Mediation efforts
US-brokered ceasefire with Pakistani mediation in place
Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator between the US and Iran in their ongoing conflict. A US-brokered ceasefire, with Pakistani mediation, has been in place for six weeks, with Islamabad continuing to work toward a broader agreement between the two nations. "We really did the ceasefire at the request of other nations. I wouldn't have really been in favor of it, but we did it as a favor to Pakistan," President Donald Trump said.
Diplomatic visit
First official visit to India as Secretary of State
Rubio is on his first official visit to India as Secretary of State. He held bilateral talks with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar on Sunday as the two countries seek to strengthen ties that have dropped to their lowest point in more than 20 years. Rubio will meet with his counterparts from India, Australia, and Japan, all members of the Indo-Pacific strategic alliance known as the Quad, on Tuesday in New Delhi.