Marco Rubio visits to improve ties, boost Quad

The foreign ministers of the US, India, Japan and Australia – the four nations that make up the quadrilateral security dialogue, known as the Quad – are scheduled to meet in New Delhi for three days from Sunday to discuss Indo-Pacific security, energy supplies and emerging technologies.

The meeting comes as China continues to test geopolitical and security boundaries in the region.

But it is another issue, not on the agenda, that dominated the gathering: how to keep the alliance alive and relevant in a more challenging geopolitical landscape and an increasingly assertive China.

Read the full DW Asia report on the Quad meeting in India here.

India is the largest whiskey drinking country in the world. According to the International Wine & Spirits Research, the global authority on beverage alcohol data, about 230 million cases are consumed here annually, accounting for almost half of global whiskey sales.

But US-made bourbon brands, such as Maker’s Mark, have long remained a niche product in India, where whiskey drinkers traditionally prefer Scotch and domestic brands.

But eventually it could be changed. For years, a 150% import duty meant that bourbon was extremely expensive in India, limiting both availability and consumer access.

Recent US-India trade talks reduced that duty to 100%, significantly improving the economics of selling American whiskey in the world’s largest whiskey market.

Read the full report here.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata on Saturday, beginning his four-day visit to the South Asian nation.

This is Rubio’s first official visit to India after becoming Washington’s top diplomat.

Rubio was welcomed by US Ambassador to India Sergio Gore at the city’s airport.

In Kolkata, Rubio visited the Mother House, the headquarters of St. Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity. He then left for the capital New Delhi, where he is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and other high-ranking officials.

The visit comes amid strained bilateral ties over the Trump administration’s tariff policies, which has raised duties on some Indian goods, Washington’s growing friendship with New Delhi’s arch rival Pakistan and the energy crisis stemming from the Iran war.

But the bulk of Rubio’s four-day trip will focus on a multi-city tour, as well as a grand reception in New Delhi to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence.

“There is a lot to work on with India, they are a great ally and partner. We work very well with them so this is an important trip,” Rubio said ahead of his trip.

On his last day in India, Rubio will hold talks with his counterparts from the Quad grouping – an Indo-Pacific strategic alliance comprising India, the US, Japan and Australia that is seen as a counterweight to China’s growing economic and military power.

Good morning! And welcome to DW’s India news blog.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is on a four-day visit to India as relations between the two countries remain strained over several issues including US tariffs on Indian goods and the energy crisis due to the Iran war.

Meanwhile, the US government announced a new rule that will require foreigners leaving the US and applying for green cards from their home countries – a policy that could impact many Indian citizens currently living in the US who want to change their visa status.

We have it all and more to come. Stay tuned.