New Delhi

PrimeMinister Narendra Modi on Saturday held crucial talks on security and trade with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who in turn extended him an invitation to the White House on behalf of Donald Trump.

The three-day visit to India by Rubio comes at a time when ties between India and the US under Trump 2.0 have continued to fluctuate amid trade and energy tensions, which have only deepened amid the Iran conflict.

US envoy Sergio Gor, who joined Rubio for the meeting with PM Modi, said the talks also spanned the Indo-Pacific, where China has sought to assert its strength. India has always been viewed by the US as a counterbalance to China in the crucial region.

“We had a productive discussion on ways to deepen US-India cooperation across security, trade, and critical technologies... India is a vital partner to the United States!” Gor tweeted. He also said that PM Modi was invited to the White House in the “near future”. In the meeting, Rubio also pitched for US energy products, saying it had the potential to diversify India’s energy supply.

It comes amid mounting concerns for India, which imports 80% of its crude oil needs, as the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues to affect energy flows.