US Seeks Stronger Strategic Relationship with Pakistan, Says Marco Rubio

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced that Washington sees “an opportunity to expand its strategic relationship with Pakistan,” emphasizing that this growing engagement will not come at the cost of America’s long-standing ties with India.

During a press briefing, Rubio was asked if India had expressed concerns over the strengthening of US-Pakistan relations. In response, he acknowledged that while India may have concerns due to historical tensions with Pakistan, “They really haven’t – I mean, we know they’re concerned for obvious reasons because of the tensions that have existed between Pakistan and India historically.” Rubio stressed that the United States must maintain relations with multiple partners, noting that Washington’s expanding relationship with Pakistan is part of its broader policy to align with nations where mutual interests exist.

“We see an opportunity to expand our strategic relationship with Pakistan,” Rubio stated, while also affirming that this growing cooperation would not undermine the US’s “deep, historic, and important” relationship with India. He further explained that the engagement with Pakistan had begun even before the recent tensions between India and Pakistan, citing the long history of cooperation between the two nations, especially in counterterrorism efforts.

Rubio emphasized that the renewed focus on strengthening ties with Pakistan is not a result of Islamabad’s appreciation of the US role in diffusing potential conflict between India and Pakistan, but part of a broader, longstanding strategy to rebuild a “strategic partnership” with Pakistan. “But I think it’s a very encouraging thing that that relationship has strengthened the way that it has,” he added.

The remarks come amidst a thaw in relations between the two countries, following a period of diplomatic tension. A key turning point occurred in March when Pakistan’s intelligence services handed over an Islamic State Khorasan operative responsible for the deadly 2021 Kabul bombing. Later, in May 2025, US President Donald Trump brokered a ceasefire after a significant military clash between Pakistan and India, further highlighting the evolving nature of US-Pakistan relations.

Throughout these developments, US President Trump has repeatedly praised Pakistan’s leadership, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, underscoring the growing cooperation between Washington and Islamabad.