Rubio Says US Must Maintain Ties with Pakistan Citing Its Nuclear Arsenal and Strategic Location
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stressed the importance of maintaining relations with Pakistan, citing its strategic geographical position and nuclear capabilities.
WASHINGTON : According to Raaz News | US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stressed the importance of maintaining relations with Pakistan, citing its strategic geographical position and nuclear capabilities. Speaking to India’s Network18 during a visit to New Delhi, Rubio said continued engagement with Islamabad could also help Washington address India’s security concerns, as the United States seeks to balance its relationships across South Asia.
“It's a country that we have to have a relationship with. It's a country that possesses nuclear weapons,” Rubio said, adding that Pakistan’s geographical significance made continued engagement necessary.
He compared Washington’s approach to Pakistan with India’s relationship with Iran, noting that New Delhi also needed to maintain diplomatic channels and engage with Iranian leaders despite regional tensions.
Rubio acknowledged the challenges of managing relations with countries that may have conflicting interests, but described diplomatic engagement as an essential component of US foreign policy.
In his remarks, the US secretary of state suggested that maintaining communication with Islamabad could provide Washington with an opportunity to help discourage actions that concern India.
“I think in a way it could be a positive thing, because if we have a relationship and we can speak to them, it could perhaps put us in a position to help discourage the kinds of things that India is worried about,” he said.
Rubio added that his responsibilities as secretary of state required him to maintain relations with countries even when disagreements existed.
“In my new role, I'm no longer a senator. I'm the secretary of state. I have to manage the foreign policy of the US, and that does require us to have relationships with countries, including those that we may have some disagreements with,” he said.
The comments came during Rubio’s visit to India, where US and Indian officials have been discussing bilateral trade, defence cooperation and regional security.
US-Pakistan Relations Gain Momentum
Diplomatic relations between Washington and Islamabad have gained momentum following President Donald Trump’s efforts to broker a ceasefire between Pakistan and India during their brief military conflict.
Since then, officials from both countries have exchanged friendly gestures and publicly praised each other’s leadership. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his mediation efforts.
Trump, in turn, has repeatedly praised Sharif and Pakistan’s military leadership, notably describing Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir as his “favourite field marshal”.
Islamabad is now seeking to translate the improved political atmosphere into concrete economic gains, including a more favourable trade agreement with Washington, tariff concessions and greater access for Pakistani exports to the US market.