New Delhi, May 20 (IANS) US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio on Wednesday said that he is looking forward to celebrating America's 250th birthday with partners in India.  In a video message shared ahead of his visit to India, Rubio said, "As America gets ready to celebrate our 250th birthday, we look forward to doing it with our partners in India. India is the world's largest democracy and we are world's oldest. So, we look forward to celebrating it together." While sharing the video on social media platform X, the US Embassy in India stated, "We're looking forward to celebrating with you, Mr. Secretary!"

The US will commemorate and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4. Rubio is scheduled to travel to India from May 23-26, visiting Kolkata, Agra, Jaipur and New Delhi, as Washington and New Delhi prepare for talks expected to focus on the Quad partnership, energy security, trade and defence cooperation amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East. The State Department announced Rubio’s travel plans on Tuesday, saying he would first travel to Helsingborg, Sweden, on May 22 to attend the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting before heading to India.

“The Secretary will discuss energy security, trade, and defence cooperation during meetings with senior Indian officials,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement. Apart from bilateral meetings with Indian leaders in New Delhi, Rubio is also expected to attend the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting involving India, the United States, Japan and Australia.

Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump held a telephonic conversation during which they discussed the current situation in West Asia, as well as ways to further strengthen the bilateral partnership. "Received a call from my friend President Donald Trump. We reviewed the substantial progress achieved in our bilateral cooperation in various sectors. We are committed to further strengthening our Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership in all areas," PM Modi posted on X after the phone call on April 14. "We also discussed the situation in West Asia and stressed the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and secure," he wrote further.