New Delhi
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday dismissed concerns over alleged anti-India rhetoric in the United States, asserting that President Donald Trump remains a strong admirer of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Rubio’s remarks came amid controversy surrounding a viral video from a media interaction on Sunday, during which he responded to a question regarding alleged racist comments directed at Indians and Indian-Americans in the US.
The controversy was linked by many to a social media post reposted by Trump that reportedly described India and China as “hellholes” and appeared to criticise people from those countries over issues related to birthright citizenship in the United States.
Rubio, who is currently on a four-day visit to India aimed at strengthening bilateral ties, sought to downplay the issue during another interaction with journalists on Monday.
He said President Trump is a “big fan” of India and Prime Minister Modi, adding that his own visit to New Delhi reflected the administration’s commitment to the relationship. Rubio also referred to the nomination of Sergio Gor as US ambassador, describing him as someone close to President Trump.
Addressing the controversy, Rubio said he had specifically asked the journalist whom the question was referring to but did not receive a clear answer.
According to Rubio, in the digital era, people often encounter extreme or offensive comments online, and it is not always possible to determine who is behind such remarks or whether they even represent genuine public opinion. He suggested that the issue likely related to comments circulating on social media platforms.
The reporter had referred to what he described as racist comments targeting Indians and Indian-Americans, saying such remarks went against the spirit of India-US relations. When Rubio sought clarification, the journalist responded by saying that such comments and endorsements had been widely seen online.
Rubio remarked during the exchange that “every country has stupid people.”
The US State Department initially shared Rubio’s remarks on social media platform X, including his response to the racism-related question, but later reportedly removed the question segment from the post.
Rubio also addressed another question regarding India’s concerns over Pakistan during his talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
He acknowledged that India has consistently raised concerns about armed militant groups operating from Pakistani territory and targeting India. However, Rubio said Pakistan’s role as a mediator or facilitator in the Iran situation did not arise during the discussions.
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He further stated that India’s concerns regarding Pakistan are of a different nature and suggested that New Delhi would not object to Islamabad’s diplomatic engagement related to Iran.
