Iran jibes as Rubio lands in Delhi

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in India on Saturday for a May 23-26 visit that the State Department said would include stops in Kolkata, Agra, Jaipur and New Delhi. The trip comes with meetings focused on energy security, trade and defense cooperation with senior Indian officials, according to the department. Iran inserted itself into the visit on the day Rubio reached New Delhi, when its Mumbai consulate posted a barbed message on X telling him to take a “crash course” in civility. The exchange added a public diplomatic jab to a trip Washington has framed as part of its effort to deepen ties with India. ### Why was Rubio in India on May 23? The State Department said on May 19 that Rubio would travel from Sweden to India from May 23 to May 26. The department said his itinerary would cover Kolkata, Agra, Jaipur and New Delhi, and that he would discuss energy security, trade and defense cooperation in meetings with senior Indian officials. (state.gov) The State Department’s public schedule for May 23 showed Rubio in Kolkata in the morning before he flew to New Delhi. The schedule listed a 2 p.m. local meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, followed by remarks at a U.S. Embassy Support Annex Building dedication ceremony and a Roosevelt House reception hosted by U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor. (state.gov) ### What exactly did Iran’s Mumbai consulate say? Hindustan Times reported on May 23 that Iran’s Mumbai consulate responded on X to Rubio’s post about arriving in India. The consulate wrote in Hindi, “Thoda seekh lo yaar… ‘sabhyata ka crash course’ free mein mil jayega,” which the paper rendered as a suggestion that Rubio could learn civility from Indians. (state.gov) Hindustan Times said “sabhyata” is a Hindi word meaning civility, culture or civilization. The paper said the consulate’s message appeared to quote Rubio’s post on his India arrival, though it also said the precise reference behind the one-line remark remained unclear. (hindustantimes.com) ### Why did the remark draw attention? Iran’s comment landed as Rubio began his first official visit to India, according to Hindustan Times. The paper said the visit comes as Washington and New Delhi seek to recalibrate bilateral ties after strains that it said had built since the middle of last year. (hindustantimes.com) Hindustan Times linked the remark to broader friction involving Iran and the United States. The paper said the post might have referred to an earlier statement by President Donald Trump about Iran and “a whole civilisation,” though it described that connection as ambiguous. (hindustantimes.com) ### Who was Rubio expected to meet in New Delhi? Hindustan Times reported that Rubio would hold wide-ranging talks with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, meet Modi and attend a meeting of Quad foreign ministers in New Delhi. The newspaper said those discussions were expected to cover energy, trade, investment, critical technology and people-to-people exchanges, citing people familiar with the matter. (hindustantimes.com) Reuters reported on May 23 that Rubio’s India trip was part of a U.S. effort to shore up ties with New Delhi. Reuters said the visit came after strains linked to President Donald Trump’s tariffs and Washington’s renewed engagement with Pakistan and China. ### What happens next in Rubio’s trip? Hindustan Times said Rubio is scheduled on Sunday, May 24, to hold bilateral talks with Jaishankar and attend U.S. (hindustantimes.com) Embassy Independence Day celebrations. The paper said he is then due to travel to Agra and Jaipur on Monday before returning to Delhi on Tuesday morning for the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting. (msn.com) The State Department has already published the trip window through May 26. Any additional readouts, schedules or meeting statements are expected to appear through the department’s travel releases and public schedule pages as Rubio continues his India visit. (state.gov) (hindustantimes.com)