Minutes ahead of Modi-Putin meet, US says ties with India ‘defining relationship of 21st century’

Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin were readying for a bilateral meeting on Monday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio termed the New Delhi-Washington ties as a "defining relationship of the 21st century".

Rubio is a key member of US President Donald Trump's team.

The US Embassy in India, on Monday, posted a message from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on X. It said, “The partnership between the United States and India continues to reach new heights — a defining relationship of the 21st century.”

The US embassy posted the message less than 10 minutes ahead of the Modi and Putin meeting conducted on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Tianjin, China.

The US Embassy said, this month it was highlighting “the people, progress, and possibilities driving us forward. From innovation and entrepreneurship to defence and bilateral ties”.

“It’s the enduring friendship between our two peoples that fuels this journey,” the US Embassy post said.

The US remarks are significant as India battles US-created trade barriers posed by Trump's tariff war against India. The US President has slapped 50 per cent tariffs on Indian exports – half of these tariffs are punitive for buying the Russian crude oil.