{"id":17666,"date":"2026-05-28T09:45:14","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T04:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eng.dragonmedia.com.np\/?p=17666"},"modified":"2026-05-28T09:45:14","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T04:00:14","slug":"rubios-india-visit-indias-declining-trust-in-u-s-strategy-rare-minerals-agreement-signed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eng.dragonmedia.com.np\/?p=17666","title":{"rendered":"Rubio\u2019s India Visit: India\u2019s Declining Trust in U.S. Strategy, Rare Minerals Agreement Signed<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"

New Delhi. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio returned to Washington on Tuesday after completing a four-day visit to India. During the visit, which focused on improving U.S.-India relations that had deteriorated over the past year, both sides signed an agreement related to the supply of rare minerals. However, the visit did not fully address the crisis of trust between the two countries.<\/p>\n

Rubio held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior officials in New Delhi on Sunday. On Tuesday, he participated in the foreign ministers\u2019 meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, a strategic cooperation framework involving the United States, Australia, India and Japan. At an event held at the U.S. Embassy in Delhi to mark the 250th anniversary of the American War of Independence, Rubio relayed a phone message from President Donald Trump, saying that Trump had stated, \u201cI love India, and India can trust me 100 percent.\u201d<\/p>\n

During the visit, Rubio and Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar signed an agreement on Tuesday to ensure the supply of rare minerals. The agreement mentions mutual cooperation to secure rare minerals required for advanced technologies and energy. Earlier, in February, India had signed on to the U.S.-led international economic and security alliance \u201cPax Silica.\u201d South Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, Israel, the Philippines and other countries had already joined the alliance.<\/p>\n

Rubio made a clear reference to China, saying that accepting the monopoly of \u201ca single source\u201d in this industry would be against the national and strategic interests of both countries. According to the International Energy Agency, more than 60 percent of the world\u2019s total rare mineral consumption is mined in China, while China controls more than 90 percent of processed rare minerals. Around 70 percent of rare minerals imported into the U.S. market and 80 to 90 percent of those imported into India come from China. These minerals are used in smartphones, electronic devices, vehicles, ships and fighter jets.<\/p>\n

However, relations between the two major democracies have not become fully trust-based. The Trump administration\u2019s tariff hikes, stricter approach toward immigrants and growing closeness with Pakistan have made India uncomfortable. Pakistan had recommended Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize after he claimed to have mediated the India-Pakistan war in May last year. Trump has also referred to Pakistan\u2019s army chief Asim Munir as \u201cdear Field Marshal.\u201d Last August, the United States raised tariffs on Indian goods by 50 percent, citing India\u2019s purchase of arms and oil from Russia. However, the United States has not been able to impose sanctions on China and European countries that purchase oil from Russia and Iran.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, during his visit to Beijing on May 14, Trump reached an understanding with Chinese President Xi Jinping to build \u201ca constructive China-U.S. relationship of strategic stability.\u201d Soon after, Russian President Vladimir Putin also visited Beijing. Analysts say these developments indicate that India\u2019s geopolitical influence is weakening.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor India, this is a painful signal. It shows that Washington\u2019s loyalty in South Asia is purely commercial or transactional,\u201d senior Indian journalist Manoj Joshi wrote in The Wire. \u201cRubio\u2019s visit cannot conceal the hard truth of India-U.S. relations.\u201d Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar, however, emphasized India\u2019s strategic autonomy, saying, \u201cIf the Trump administration has an America First policy, we have an India First policy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although Rubio\u2019s visit and the rare minerals agreement have ensured India\u2019s participation in the U.S. strategy to break China\u2019s monopoly, the trust gap between the two countries appears to remain.<\/p>\n

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