Marco Rubio asked about rise in racism against Indians in US. His response

Marco Rubio answered a question in New Delhi on racism and attacks against Indians in the US. He said isolated prejudice should not define American society or overshadow thriving Indian-origin communities.

In Short

• Rubio rejected portraying anti-Indian racism as typical of American society
• He said prejudice exists worldwide and cannot define an entire nation
• The remarks came after delegation-level talks between Indian and US sides

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday dismissed attempts to portray racism against Indians as a defining feature of American society, saying prejudice existed in every country and should not be used to judge an entire nation. Rubio made the remarks during a joint media interaction with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi after delegation-level talks between the two sides.

The exchange drew attention after Jaishankar smiled briefly when a journalist asked Rubio about rising racism and attacks against Indians in the United States. Responding to the question, Rubio said, “Every country in the world has stupid people.”

He added that isolated incidents involving racism or discrimination should not overshadow the broader reality of Indian-origin communities thriving in the US.

RUBIO PRAISES INDIAN-AMERICANS

Rubio said Indian-Americans were among the most successful and respected communities in the United States and played an important role across sectors. “The Indian diaspora in the United States is extraordinarily successful,” he said, pointing to the presence of Indian-origin professionals in business, technology, medicine and public service.

He stressed that the relationship between India and the US could not be defined by the actions of a fringe group of individuals. “There are people everywhere who hold ignorant views,” Rubio said, while emphasising that such behaviour was not representative of American society as a whole.

JAISHANKAR’S REACTION CATCHES ATTENTION

As the question was posed to Rubio, Jaishankar was seen giving a slight smile, a moment that quickly drew attention during the otherwise serious diplomatic interaction. Neither Jaishankar nor the Indian delegation directly commented on the issue during the press conference.

The media interaction followed wide-ranging talks between the two countries on defence cooperation, trade, strategic technologies, energy and regional security.

INDIA-US TIES IN FOCUS

Earlier, Rubio described the India-US partnership as one of Washington’s “most important” strategic relationships. “We are the two largest democracies in the world,” Rubio said during delegation-level talks, adding that the relationship was not merely regional but global in scope.

Jaishankar described the bilateral relationship as a “comprehensive global strategic partnership” marked by converging interests across multiple regions and sectors.

Rubio is on a multi-day visit to India that also includes participation in the upcoming Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting involving India, the United States, Japan and Australia.

- Ends