New Delhi [India], May 24 (ANI): US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday strongly defended the United States as a welcoming country while dismissing racist comments targeting Indians in the United States as the actions of 'stupid people', saying such remarks do not reflect America's broader character as an immigrant-friendly nation.

Addressing a joint press conference with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi, Rubio was responding to a question on racism against Indians in the US.

Rubio said he takes such concerns seriously but emphasised that offensive remarks made by individuals do not reflect the values of the United States.

'I don't know how to address that, but I'll take that very seriously,' Rubio said. 'I'm sure that there are people that have made comments online and other places, because every country in the world has stupid people. I'm sure stupid people here, they're stupid people in the United States that make dumb comments all the time.'

He added, 'I don't know what else to tell you, other than the United States is a very welcoming country.'

Rubio highlighted the contributions made by immigrants, including the Indian diaspora, to American society and the economy. 'Our nation has been enriched by people who come to our country, have come from our country, from all over the world, have become Americans, have assimilated into our way of life, and it's contributing,' he said.

Acknowledging the economic role played by the Indian community in the United States, Rubio remarked, 'I accept what you just said about the contribution that Indians have made in the US economy, over USD 20 billion.'

'We want that number to continue to increase,' he said.

The US Secretary of State also noted that Washington is reviewing its immigration framework. 'The United States is currently undergoing a process of reforming the system by which we choose how many people come into our country, who comes in, when they come in, etc.,' Rubio stated.

Responding to questions on recent changes affecting J1, F1 and H-1B visas, Rubio said the overhaul of the U.S. immigration system was a global exercise and not aimed specifically at India.

'The changes that are happening now, or the modernisation of our migration system into the United States, are not India-specific. It is global, it's being applied across the world,' he said.

The US Secretary of State said Washington was reforming its immigration system following what he described as a migration crisis in recent years, with more than 20 million people entering the country illegally.

'Everything that you do as a country needs to be in your national interest, and that includes your immigration policy,' Rubio said.

'It is not a system that is targeted at India,' Rubio said. 'We think ultimately our destination is going to be a better system.'

Meanwhile, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor reiterated Washington's commitment to strengthening ties with New Delhi in a post on X.

https://x.com/USAmbIndia/status/2058449331426873664

'Sec Rubio's message is clear. Our relationship with India matters. Our strategic partnership with India is real. We have incredible potential ahead,' Gor said.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar held delegation-level talks with Rubio at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, marking a key engagement in the ongoing high-level US-India diplomatic dialogue.

The meeting was attended by senior officials from both sides. Jaishankar was accompanied by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and other senior officials, while Rubio was joined by US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor and members of the visiting American delegation.

During the meeting, Rubio described the first day of his visit as 'fantastic' and emphasised that India and the United States are not just allies but 'strategic allies'. He said that this 'strategic partnership' is what sets the US-India relationship apart. He added that this 'extends to opportunities to cooperate globally in different regions of the world'.

'It has already been a fantastic first day. We're looking forward to our visits and our talks today and learning more about the country... As you've highlighted, the United States and India aren't just allies; we're strategic allies, and that's of critical importance. We obviously work with countries all over the world and all over the region on a variety of issues as they emerge, but our strategic partnership is what sets this relationship apart, because it's not simply limited to a region. It extends to opportunities to cooperate globally in different regions of the world, and that includes potentially in the Western Hemisphere and places like that,' he said.

He further said that there is a 'lot to work on', describing India and the US as the two 'largest democracies in the world', and he said that alone is a 'baseline' for 'incredible cooperation'. He also added that the current visit is about 'continuing to build on what is already a very solid and strong strategic partnership.'

'We have a lot to discuss and a lot to work on. We are the two largest democracies in the world, and so that alone is a baseline for incredible cooperation. We have so many common interests that it makes all the sense in the world for us to continue to build upon. This is not about restoring or reinvigorating. I've seen people use that terminology. This is about continuing to build on what is already a very solid and strong strategic partnership. One of the most important ones that we have, and one of the most important ones in the world,' Rubio added.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, the US Secretary of State called on Prime Minister Modi shortly after arriving in New Delhi. (ANI)