Marco Rubio Praises India-US Relations Before Agra Visit, Says 'Trump Is A Big Fan of Modi'

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in India on Saturday for a four-day visit taking in Kolkata, Agra, Jaipur and New Delhi. US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, tweets, "Secretary Marco Rubio has landed in Kolkata. This is his first trip to India.

The visit comes as relations between US President Donald Trump and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi continue to fluctuate.  He will discuss energy security, trade and defence cooperation with senior Indian officials, US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement on Tuesday.

Rubio's visit follows the Trump administration's dismissal of fraud charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, accused of bribing officials for contracts and misleading US investors in a solar project, allegations Adani's company denies. The DOJ dropped the case after Adani promised a $10bn US investment.

Following his bilateral meetings, he is scheduled to visit Agra and Jaipur (May 25) before returning to New Delhi on May 26 for the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting, where he will engage with his counterparts from India, Australia, and Japan.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to tour two of most iconic historic landmarks today as part of his official itinerary. According to the State Department schedule, Secretary Rubio will begin his day in Agra with a morning tour of the Taj Mahal at 10:00 AM, an event designated for closed press coverage. Later in the afternoon, the Secretary will travel to Rajasthan to tour the historic Amber Fort in Jaipur at 2:45 PM.