“Extraordinary alignment”: Rubio says India and US see eye to eye on core issues, trade deal “very, very close”

Disagreements will happen, says Rubio, but the core interests of the two countries align. Here’s the full contex

October 21, 2026

Jaishankar said widening areas of agreement is essential to deepening the partnership

Rubio is on a two-day visit to India, his second in three months

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that India and the United States share an “extraordinary alignment” on the issues that matter most to their national interests, even if they differ on some other matters.

Disagreements expected, core interests aligned

Rubio was speaking at the “Freedom 250” reception in Mumbai during a two-day visit to India, his second in three months. He said it would be unrealistic for two countries to agree on everything, but that on the core issues defining each nation’s interests, the alignment between India and the US is remarkable, especially for two countries of their size.

A free and open Indo-Pacific

Among the shared priorities, he pointed to a free and open Indo-Pacific, where no nation can claim dominance or ownership over international shipping. He described India as a powerful, influential and advanced country and a strong geopolitical partner for the United States.

Shared values and technology

Rubio said the two countries also have a lot in common, including a commitment to the dignity of the individual, democratic principles and the rule of law. He named emerging technologies, particularly superintelligence, as another area where the two sides have similar goals, and said both countries have the engineering talent, creative thinkers and innovators needed to work towards it. The United States, he said, wants to share with friends like India the qualities that made America exceptional.

Jaishankar: widen common ground

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar echoed the emphasis on strengthening shared interests. He said each country will keep pursuing its own national priorities, and that expanding areas of agreement will therefore be essential to deepening the partnership.

Trade deal in sight

Earlier in the day, Rubio said India and the US are “very, very close” to signing a bilateral trade agreement, with only a few points left to be ironed out.

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