Former senior White House official Lisa Curtis believes US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s recent trip to India helped prevent further strain in relations between Washington and New Delhi, although she argued that only President Donald Trump can fully restore confidence between the two strategic partners.
Curtis, who previously served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director for South and Central Asia at the National Security Council during Trump’s first administration, said Rubio’s visit acted as a temporary fix rather than a long-term solution. Speaking during an interview with IANS, she explained that the diplomatic outreach was necessary after a year marked by growing discomfort in India over several US policy decisions.
According to Curtis, the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting held alongside Rubio’s visit carried symbolic importance because it demonstrated that cooperation among the United States, India, Japan, and Australia continues despite the absence of a leaders’ summit. She noted that maintaining momentum within the Indo-Pacific partnership remains critical as concerns about China’s regional ambitions continue to rise.
However, Curtis said many developments over the past year have unsettled Indian policymakers and the public. Trade tariffs, stricter immigration policies, and Washington’s increasingly warm engagement with Pakistan have collectively created doubts in New Delhi about America’s commitment to India. She added that many Indians feel the second Trump administration has not emphasized the relationship with the same intensity seen during Trump’s first term.
Curtis also pointed to concerns surrounding Trump’s recent engagement with Chinese President Xi Jinping. She said many in India now believe Washington may be prioritizing stable economic ties with Beijing over broader strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific region. Discussions suggesting that US weapons sales to Taiwan could potentially become part of future negotiations with China have further increased anxiety among American allies and partners across Asia.
Despite these concerns, Curtis noted that some recent US decisions were positively received in India, including the extension of a waiver allowing continued imports of Russian oil. She emphasized that a stronger reset in bilateral relations would likely require Trump himself to publicly reaffirm India’s importance to America’s Indo-Pacific strategy, possibly through a high-profile visit or consistent diplomatic messaging.
India-US ties remain under close international scrutiny as both countries navigate trade disputes, geopolitical competition, and evolving regional alliances.
