‘100 Years from Now, When My Grandchildren Visit India…’ — Why Marco Rubio Said This in Delhi

New Delhi: A special event was organized in New Delhi during U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s four-day visit to India. Here, he inaugurated the U.S. Embassy’s new Support Annex and Consular Wing. During this occasion, Rubio displayed a lighthearted yet emotional side of his personality.

At the inauguration ceremony, Rubio unveiled the official plaque affixed to the new building. After removing the cover from the plaque, he smiled and remarked, “This is my first plaque. So, 100 years from now, when my grandchildren come to visit India, they will see this plaque. That would be truly wonderful.” Rubio’s statement quickly went viral on social media, with many interpreting it as a reflection of the warmth characterizing India-U.S. relations.

U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor also shared photographs of the event. He wrote, “It was an honor for me to join Marco Rubio at the inauguration ceremony of our new Support Annex building in New Delhi. This modern facility reflects our commitment to providing better services to the American and Indian people and will further strengthen the robust foundation of the U.S.-India partnership.”

Meanwhile, posting on the social media platform X, Rubio stated, “Inaugurated the new Consular Wing at our embassy in New Delhi, which will provide the necessary facilities for more rigorous vetting, processing, and screening to secure U.S. borders. Every visa decision is a national security decision, and I am proud that the American officials working here are playing a pivotal role in advancing President Trump’s ‘America First’ foreign policy.”

During his visit to India, Rubio also met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Issues such as the situation in West Asia, energy security, supply chains, and cooperation in new technologies were discussed during this meeting. Following the meeting, Rubio posted on X: “In New Delhi, I met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and underscored the importance of U.S.-India relations.” We discussed the situation in the Middle East, partnerships in the energy sector, the security of critical supply chains, and cooperation in emerging technologies. I was pleased to convey, on behalf of the President, an invitation to Prime Minister Modi to visit the White House.