US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor stated that the decision by Indian companies to invest nearly $20.5 billion in the United States reflected growing confidence in the American economy and demonstrated the strengthening strategic and economic partnership between India and the US. His remarks came during the dedication ceremony of the new US Embassy Support Annex Building and coincided with an important diplomatic meeting in which US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and extended a White House invitation on behalf of President Donald Trump.
Speaking at the inauguration event, Ambassador Gor highlighted the significance of the expanding India-US relationship and emphasised that both nations play an essential role in global stability and economic growth. “We are here because we believe that a strong America and a strong India are essential to the world,” Gor said during his address. Referring to the large-scale investments being made by Indian companies in the US economy, he remarked that he was “simply blown away” by the scale of confidence Indian businesses had shown in American workers, industries, and the long-term promise of the American dream.
Gor explained that the newly dedicated US Embassy Support Annex Building would function as a major hub for consular operations along with other important embassy-related activities. According to him, the facility would act as a gateway to the United States for innovators, entrepreneurs, and professionals who contribute to economic development and support hundreds of thousands of jobs across American communities. He added that the growing collaboration between the two countries could help achieve the ambitious goal of reaching $500 billion in bilateral trade in the coming years.
The US ambassador also underlined the importance of trust, security, and institutional cooperation in strengthening partnerships between nations. He noted that consular officials working in the new facility perform critical functions that help ensure the safety of American citizens overseas. These responsibilities include emergency support services, passport assistance, and aid for Americans facing crises or urgent situations abroad.
Referring to the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Gor stated that relations between India and the United States remained stable, positive, and full of “incredible potential ahead.” He stressed that the partnership continues to expand across multiple sectors, including defence, trade, technology, energy, and strategic cooperation.
Ambassador Gor also publicly announced that Marco Rubio had formally extended an invitation from President Donald Trump to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a future visit to the White House. Sharing the development on social media platform X, Gor wrote, “News! Secretary Marco Rubio extended an invitation on behalf of President Donald Trump for Prime Minister Modi to visit the White House in the near future!”The announcement attracted significant attention, as it signalled continued high-level engagement between the two governments.
Secretary Rubio met Prime Minister Modi on Saturday and held extensive discussions covering several major areas of bilateral cooperation, including defence partnerships, trade relations, energy collaboration, and strategic technologies. Rubio also briefed Prime Minister Modi regarding Washington’s assessment and perspective on the evolving situation in West Asia and broader regional security concerns.
According to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office, the discussions between the two leaders covered a wide range of issues such as defence cooperation, investment opportunities, trade expansion, strategic technologies, energy security, regional connectivity, education, and strengthening people-to-people ties between India and the United States. During the meeting, Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed India’s support for international peace initiatives and emphasised that ongoing conflicts should be resolved through dialogue, diplomacy, and peaceful negotiations rather than military confrontation.
Prime Minister Modi also requested Secretary Rubio to convey his greetings and best wishes to President Donald Trump. He expressed optimism about continued diplomatic engagement and future exchanges between the two countries. Later, in a post shared on X, Modi stated that India and the United States would continue working closely together for global progress and mutual benefit.
Several senior officials from both countries attended the high-level meeting between Modi and Rubio. The Indian delegation included External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, while the US delegation included Ambassador Sergio Gor and US Under Secretary of State Allison Hooker.
Upon Rubio’s arrival in India, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the visit would further deepen and strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. Rubio arrived in New Delhi, accompanied by his wife Jeanette D Rubio, Ambassador Sergio Gor, and US Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Robert Gabriel, after completing his visit to Kolkata earlier in the day.
Earlier on Saturday, Rubio visited Kolkata, where he paid tribute to Mother Teresa at the Missionaries of Charity. In a message shared on X, Rubio praised Mother Teresa’s enduring legacy of compassion, humanitarian service, and dedication to helping the poor and vulnerable.
Rubio’s visit to Kolkata was particularly notable because it marked the first visit by a senior American diplomat of his rank to the city in nearly 14 years. The trip also marked the beginning of his four-day official visit to India, scheduled from May 23 to May 26. During the visit, Rubio is expected to travel to Agra, Jaipur, and New Delhi as part of a broader diplomatic outreach programme.
The series of high-level meetings and engagements during Rubio’s India visit is expected to focus heavily on strengthening cooperation in areas such as trade, advanced technology, energy security, defence partnerships, and regional strategic coordination between the two countries. The visit also takes place just ahead of the upcoming Quad foreign ministers’ meeting scheduled to be held in New Delhi on May 26, which is expected to further shape regional cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
