US Secretary of State Marco Rubio sought to reassure India over racist comments targeting people of India-origin in the United States, saying America remained a welcoming country even as “stupid people” in every society made offensive remarks that did not represent national values.
Rubio made the remarks at a joint press interaction with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Sunday, during a high-level visit aimed at steadying a relationship strained by trade friction, visa concerns and unease over Washington’s approach to regional security. Asked about racist commentary and its endorsement in the US public sphere, Rubio initially asked which comments were being referred to, before saying such remarks should be taken seriously but should not be viewed as reflective of the American people.
“Every country in the world has stupid people,” Rubio said, adding that there were “stupid people in the United States” who made “dumb comments all the time”. He said the US had been built by immigrants from across the world and remained, in his view, one of the most open societies for those arriving legally to work, study and contribute.
His answer came against the backdrop of rising sensitivity in India over anti-India rhetoric in sections of the American political and online ecosystem. The issue has gained diplomatic weight because it intersects with concerns over immigration policy, student mobility, work visas and the status of the large India-origin community in the US, which is among the most economically successful diaspora groups in the country.
Rubio’s comments were intended to draw a distinction between fringe hostility and official policy. He said enforcing immigration law should not be confused with hostility towards any one nationality, and argued that visa and border measures were part of a wider US effort to manage migration. Jaishankar, however, underlined that legal mobility must not be hurt while the two countries cooperate against illegal and irregular migration.
The exchange highlighted a delicate point in the bilateral relationship. People from India make up a large share of H-1B visa holders in the US technology sector, while students from India form one of the biggest groups on American campuses. Any tightening of visa rules, longer processing delays or hostile political rhetoric can quickly become a domestic issue in India and a business concern for US companies dependent on skilled labour.
Jaishankar said he had raised the difficulties faced by legitimate travellers in securing visas. He stressed that legal movement of professionals, students, researchers and business visitors remained central to technology, innovation and trade links between the two countries. Rubio responded that the changes being implemented by Washington were not aimed specifically at India, while acknowledging that the US administration was pursuing broader controls on immigration and entry procedures.
The press interaction followed wide-ranging talks covering trade, defence, energy, the Indo-Pacific, West Asia, the Strait of Hormuz and counterterrorism. Both sides described the relationship as strategically important, with Rubio calling India one of America’s most important partners and Jaishankar saying the two countries had significant convergence of national interests.
Trade remained a major item on the agenda. Jaishankar said both sides saw value in concluding an interim trade arrangement that would be reciprocal and mutually beneficial. Washington has been pressing for greater market access and a rebalancing of trade terms, while New Delhi has sought protection for key domestic sectors and a more predictable framework for exports, services and investment.
Energy security also featured prominently, particularly as tensions in West Asia have raised concern over maritime routes and oil prices. India has a direct stake in stability around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage for global energy supplies. Jaishankar said India maintained strong relations with the US, Israel, Iran and Gulf countries, positioning New Delhi as a country able to speak across divides while prioritising safe and unimpeded commerce.
