WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has expressed Washington’s intent to expand its strategic partnership with Pakistan, emphasizing that stronger ties with Islamabad will not undermine America’s relationship with India.
Speaking to reporters, Rubio said the United States wants to engage with Pakistan on areas of shared interest and mutual benefit. He noted that while historical tensions exist between India and Pakistan, Washington’s policy is based on “pragmatism and common goals.”
The Secretary of State recalled that diplomatic outreach toward Pakistan began even before the latest Indo-Pak tensions, as part of efforts to rebuild and strengthen a long-term partnership.
“There are many areas where the US and Pakistan can cooperate productively,” Rubio said, adding that enhancing relations with Islamabad does not come “at the expense of our friendship with India—or any other partner.”
Rubio underlined that Washington has maintained longstanding ties with both South Asian nations and intends to keep a balanced approach. “India itself has relationships with countries we may not, and that’s how diplomacy works,” he observed.
Highlighting past cooperation, he said Pakistan and the United States have worked closely for decades on counterterrorism and regional security. “We’ve had a long history of partnership in these fields and hope to build on that foundation,” he remarked.
Acknowledging potential hurdles, Rubio admitted that challenges remain but described the effort to deepen cooperation as “a positive and necessary step forward.”
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