Rubio defends ties with Pakistan

US defense secretary admits challenges of balancing such ties

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the United States needed to maintain a relationship with Pakistan, citing its geographical importance and nuclear capabilities.

"It's a country that we have to have a relationship with. It's a country that possesses nuclear weapons. It's a country that, from a geographic standpoint, we need to be able to interact with it in much the same way as the government of India has to have and has a relationship and meets with leaders from Iran," Rubio said in an interview with India's Network18.

His remarks came during a visit to India, where Washington and New Delhi have been discussing bilateral trade, defence cooperation and regional security.

The US secretary of state acknowledged the challenges of balancing such relationships, saying they remained an essential part of Washington's foreign policy.

He further suggested that maintaining communication with Islamabad could help Washington address India's security concerns.

"And 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 added.

Referring to his current role, Rubio said his responsibilities as secretary of state required him to engage with countries with which Washington might have differences.

"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.

Diplomatic engagement between the United States and Pakistan reached new heights after Trump helped broker a ceasefire between Pakistan and India during their brief war.