Marco Rubio to visit India from May 23 after meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Sweden | Today’s news
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to India from May 23 to 26 after attending a key meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg.
According to the US State Department, Rubio’s visit to India will include stops in Calcutta, Agra, Jaipur and New Delhi, where he is expected to hold discussions on energy security, trade and defense cooperation with senior Indian officials.
Rubio is also expected to engage with counterparts from the Quad grouping — comprising India, the United States, Australia and Japan — during the visit.
The Quad is increasingly becoming a central platform for Indo-Pacific cooperation as Washington seeks to deepen partnerships in the region amid growing competition with China.
The trip comes at a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty following the Iran conflict, rising global energy prices and renewed concerns among NATO allies about Trump’s approach to the military alliance.
NATO meeting in Sweden before going to India
Before arriving in India, Rubio will attend the NATO Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Helsingborg on May 22.
The gathering is one of NATO’s last high-level meetings before the alliance’s leaders meet for a summit in Ankara in July.
The State Department said Rubio would push for “increased defense investment and greater alliance burden sharing,” while continuing longstanding U.S. demands for European allies to increase military spending commitments.
Rubio is also expected to meet with counterparts from NATO’s Arctic member nations to discuss security and economic cooperation in the Arctic region and “the alliance’s enhanced position in the Far North.”
In addition, the Secretary will hold bilateral meetings with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Trump’s stance on NATO raises concerns among allies
Rubio’s visit to Sweden comes amid growing concern within NATO over Trump’s changing stance on the alliance and recent US military decisions in Europe.
Trump announced plans earlier this month to reduce the deployment of US troops in Europe, raising concerns among allies already dealing with security uncertainties linked to the Iran conflict and tensions with Russia.
Although the Pentagon later clarified that the move involved the cancellation of planned troop rotations to Poland and Germany rather than the withdrawal of permanently deployed forces, the announcement reportedly caught NATO officials off guard.
US Vice President JD Vance defended the administration’s approach, saying Washington was focused on promoting “European independence and sovereignty”.
“What we did was we delayed the deployment of troops that were supposed to go to Poland,” Vance told reporters at the White House. “That’s not a reduction. That’s just the standard lag in rotation that sometimes happens in these situations.”
The remarks followed concerns that Trump’s broader foreign policy approach could weaken NATO coordination at a time when the alliance faces multiple security challenges.
Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO allies over defense spending and has often questioned the extent of US commitments to the alliance.
Tensions with Germany increase the uncertainty of the alliance
Trump’s recent remarks and military decisions have also fueled diplomatic friction with Germany.
The US president was reportedly angered after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized Washington’s handling of the Iran conflict, saying the United States was being “humiliated” by Iran’s leadership.
Merz also questioned what he described as a lack of clear American strategy during the conflict.
The tension added to broader concerns among European allies about the future direction of NATO under Trump.
Read also | Trump’s New White House Project: South Lawn Helipad
