Doha, October 25, 2025 — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has underlined Washington’s commitment to expanding its relationship with Pakistan, describing the partnership as both strategic and forward-looking. Speaking to reporters aboard his flight to Qatar, Rubio said the United States sees “an opportunity to expand our strategic relationship with Pakistan,” noting that cooperation could extend beyond counterterrorism into broader areas of mutual interest.
Rubio acknowledged that India has historically expressed concern over U.S.-Pakistan ties, but stressed that Washington’s approach is pragmatic and balanced. “We have to have relations with a lot of different countries,” he said. “I don’t think anything we’re doing with Pakistan comes at the expense of our relationship or friendship with India, which is deep, historic, and important.”
The Secretary of State pointed out that the U.S. has a long history of working with Pakistan on security matters, but now aims to broaden the scope of cooperation. “We’d like to expand it beyond that, if possible,” he explained, while recognizing that challenges remain.
Rubio’s remarks come at a time when Washington is recalibrating its South Asia policy, seeking to maintain strong ties with India while also rebuilding trust with Pakistan. Analysts note that the U.S. is positioning itself to engage both countries in parallel, reflecting the region’s growing strategic importance.
For Pakistan, the renewed attention from Washington signals a potential opening for deeper collaboration in trade, security, and regional stability. For the U.S., it represents an effort to diversify partnerships in South Asia without alienating long-standing allies.