Geography dictates necessity when managing global foreign policy, according to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who defended Washington's long-standing ties with Pakistan during a three-day visit to India. Geo News reported that Rubio addressed the bilateral relationship during an interview with an Indian media outlet, marking his second official trip to the country this year.

Elaborating on his stance, Rubio told the interviewer that foreign policy responsibilities require the United States to maintain relationships with various nations, including those where disagreements exist. According to Geo News, the US official emphasized that Washington needs to interact with the nuclear-armed country from a geographic standpoint.

Rubio drew a parallel to India's diplomatic engagements, noting that New Delhi maintains relationships and meets with leaders from Iran. He suggested that maintaining a line of communication with Pakistan could potentially help discourage activities that raise concerns for India, Geo News reported.

Additionally, the US Secretary of State reiterated Washington's opposition to terrorism globally and to anyone who sponsors it. Turning to regional conflicts, Rubio spoke about the war on Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, stating that negotiating with Tehran remains very difficult.

Background

According to Geo News, Marco Rubio made these remarks during his second official visit to India this year. The discussions touched upon regional security, US foreign policy management, and the ongoing conflict involving Iran and the Strait of Hormuz.

Why it matters

Despite ongoing challenges in the Middle East, Rubio claimed that oil and energy shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz have recovered to between 80% and 100% of their pre-conflict levels, which were recorded before the Middle East conflict began in February, as reported by Geo News.