US SecState Rubio Attends Quad FM Meeting in New Delhi — Acknowledges Pakistan Terrorism Sponsorship; Assures India on US-Pakistan Ties

On May 26, 2026, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio concluded a multi-day India visit (beginning May 22–23) by attending the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting in New Delhi alongside counterparts from India (S. Jaishankar), Australia, and Japan. Rubio met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and extended an official invitation for Modi to visit the White House. In a significant statement aligned with India's narrative on Pakistan, Rubio explicitly acknowledged that Pakistan-sponsored terrorist groups operate from Pakistani soil — directly echoing India's justification for Operation Sindoor and its post-Pahalgam policy measures, including the Indus Waters Treaty suspension. Rubio also addressed India's concern about the Trump administration's improved engagement with Pakistan: he told Jaishankar that U.S. ties with Pakistan and China would 'not come at the expense of the US-India relationship.' The diplomatic reset came amid Indian frustration that the Trump administration had imposed nearly 50% tariffs on India compared with 19% on Pakistan. Rubio signalled an early US-India trade deal was 'likely,' offering a commercial reset alongside the security alignment. The Quad ministerial launched the Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Cooperation Initiative. For the India-Pakistan dossier, Rubio's acknowledgment of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism from Pakistani soil strengthens India's international legitimacy at a time when New Delhi remains committed to its official posture that no bilateral engagement is possible until Pakistan takes 'credible and irreversible steps to end terrorism support.' India's airspace NOTAM on Pakistani aircraft had expired May 24 without formal renewal; the de facto ambiguity continued. Pakistan's symmetric ban runs through June 23/24. The ceasefire holds at Day 381 with no LOC incidents reported.