US deepening ties with Pak won't come at cost of India relations: Mark Rubio

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Washington sees an opportunity to expand its strategic relationship with Pakistan, but it will not come at the expense of its historic and important ties with India.

Speaking to journalists ahead of his meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Kuala Lumpur on Monday for the Asean summit, Rubio said that the US maintains a “deep, historic, and important” friendship with India.

INDIA’S CONCERNS ADDRESSED

On queries about India’s concerns over US-Pakistan ties, Rubio said, “New Delhi is concerned for obvious reasons, but I don’t think anything we’re doing with Pakistan comes at the expense of our relationship with India.” He described India as “very mature when it comes to diplomacy” and stressed that the US must maintain relations with a variety of countries.

US-PAKISTAN RELATIONS ON UPSWING

Rubio’s remarks come amid an upswing in US-Pakistan relations over the past six months, particularly following US President Donald Trump’s meeting with Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir after the brief armed conflict between India and Pakistan in May this year. While India rejected Trump’s claims of brokering a ceasefire, Pakistan credited the US president for helping end hostilities.

ENERGY TIES AND TRADE CONSIDERATIONS

On India’s energy ties with Russia, Rubio noted that New Delhi had already expressed a desire to diversify its crude oil procurement. “If they diversify their portfolio, the more they buy it from us, the less they’ll buy from someone else,” he said, adding that he was not negotiating trade deals at the moment.

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