Rubio rejects India's anti-Pakistan narrative, says US needs good relations with Islamabad
By The South Asia Times
WASHINGTON - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected Indian propaganda against Pakistan and pushed back against the negative Indian narrative about Pakistan during an interview with an Indian television channel, stressing that Washington needs to maintain relations with Islamabad because of its nuclear capabilities and strategic geographic position.
“In the case of Pakistan, it's a country that we have to have a relationship with. It's a country that possesses nuclear weapons,” Rubio said, defending US engagement with Pakistan despite regional diplomatic complexities.
He said Pakistan’s geographic position also made it necessary for Washington to maintain working relations with Islamabad.
“It's a country that, from a geographic standpoint, we need to be able to interact with them,” Rubio said.
The US diplomat compared Washington’s approach to India’s own engagement with Iran, noting that countries often need to maintain diplomatic relations even when regional circumstances are complicated.
“In much the same way as the government of India has to have and has a relationship and meets with leaders from Iran,” he said.
“These are difficult things to balance, but they have to be as part of our foreign policy,” Rubio added.
The remarks come as the United States seeks to manage relations with both Pakistan and India, two nuclear-armed neighbours with a history of tensions.
Washington’s relationship with Islamabad has included cooperation on counterterrorism and regional security, alongside periods of disagreement. Rubio’s comments underscore the importance the US administration places on maintaining diplomatic engagement with Pakistan.
Pakistan has also played a key diplomatic role in facilitating contacts between Washington and Tehran, including major role played in the Islamabad memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran.
Islamabad has continued to encourage negotiations and maintain communication channels as tensions persist, positioning itself as a mediator seeking a diplomatic path forward. Pakistan’s engagement highlights its efforts to promote regional stability while maintaining working relations with both the United States and Iran.
