'Defence Joint Production Ideal For US And India': Secretary Of State Marco Rubio | Exclusive Interview

Key Takeaways

• 'Defence Joint Production Ideal For US And India': Secretary Of State Marco Rubio | Exclusive Interview Reported By, Last Updated: May 23, 2026, 18:55 IST Rubio emphasised that the United States is actively looking to anchor long-term investments in India's domestic manufacturing corridor Rubio’s explicit endorsement of co-development signals a foundational shift in how Washington approaches its strategic partnership with New Delhi.
• File pic/Reuters In an exclusive conversation with CNN-News18, United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a powerful pitch on Saturday for deep military-industrial collaboration, declaring that joint defence production is “ideal" for both Washington and New Delhi.
• Kicking off his high-profile four-day maiden tour of India, Rubio emphasised that the United States is actively looking to anchor long-term investments in India’s domestic manufacturing corridor, describing the country’s skilled workforce and corporate ecosystem as a “tremendous contributor" to the global strategic base.
• “Joint production is ideal for both countries, and that is definitely something we need to build on," Secretary Rubio told CNN-News18.
• “India has tremendous capacity, a highly skilled workforce, and companies are very interested in investing here.