Expanding energy ties with US to ensure energy security, says India's top diplomat

Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar on Sunday said the South Asian nation is expanding energy ties with the US to ensure energy security.

Jaishankar made the remarks after he hosted US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for bilateral talks in New Delhi.

"We spent some time today discussing energy issues, and again, you're all aware that our government's fundamental responsibility is to address the needs of 1.4 billion people. Obviously, ensuring the accessibility and affordability of energy for them is our prime objective," Jaishankar said during a joint news conference with Rubio.

He added: "Secretary (Rubio) and I, therefore, welcome the expansion in our energy trade in recent months. Diversified supplies are at the heart of energy security for India."

Ties between the two strategic allies had soured over US President Donald Trump's tariff policies on India, partly for purchasing Russian oil amid the Ukraine war.

During his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi a day earlier, Rubio had said the US energy products, as well as Venezuela, can diversify India's needs.

India was also one of the biggest importers of Iranian oil, which it stopped in 2019 following US sanctions but resumed this year after Washington gave a waiver in the wake of the ongoing conflict with Tehran.

Jaishankar also said: "We want to see energy prices go down, because we are a very big importer of energy, and much of it comes from that region."

"We are very much in favor of safe and unimpeded maritime commerce through the region," he said in apparent reference to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz amid the Iran war.

Most Asian nations, including India, are dependent on Hormuz for their energy supplies from the Middle East.

"What we want to see is really the markets open up there. We don't want to see constraints, ... because our interests are growing, we have relationships with all the parties involved, and we are seeing this in the Ukraine conflict as well, where we have very strong relations with Russia, Europe, Ukraine as well, we have it with the United States, and then the question is how do you manage all of them," said Jaishankar.

Rubio also said the US and India will wind up a trade agreement that "is going to be enduring and is going to be beneficial to both sides and sustainable in a way that addresses this national interest that we have."

'Racism against Indians'

The top Indian diplomat also said he apprised Rubio "of the challenges that legitimate travelers face in respect of visa issuance."

"While we cooperate to deal with illegal and irregular mobility, our expectation is that legal mobility would not be adversely impacted as a consequence," said Jaishankar.

To a question about alleged racist remarks about Indians in the US, Rubio said there are people "who have made comments online and in other places because every country in the world has stupid people."

"I'm sure there are stupid people here. … the United States is a very welcoming country. Our nation has been enriched by people who come to our country from all over the world," he added.