New Delhi: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio strongly condemned racist remarks targeting Indians and Indian-Americans during a media interaction in New Delhi, calling such statements “dumb comments” made by “stupid people.”
Rubio made the remarks on Sunday while addressing reporters during his four-day diplomatic visit to India. The issue surfaced when a journalist questioned him about controversial anti-Indian comments circulating online and in public discourse.
Without referring to any individual directly, Rubio delivered a blunt response, dismissing racist rhetoric as ignorance that exists in every society.
“I’ll take that very seriously about the comments. Every country in the world has stupid people,” Rubio said during the briefing.
Rubio asked about RACIST comments ‘coming from US against Indians, Indian-Americans’
RUBIO: ‘who made those comments?… I’ll take that very seriously’
‘Every country in world has STUPID people that make dumb comments’https://t.co/9rknVDhP88 pic.twitter.com/WcvLc5zUA3
— RT (@RT_com) May 24, 2026
He added that such remarks are not representative of broader societies, noting that “there are stupid people in the United States who make dumb comments all the time,” while also remarking that similar individuals exist across nations.
Rubio’s comments quickly drew attention on social media, especially among Indian and Indian-American communities, as debates around racism, immigration, and identity continue to intensify globally.
Highlighting the role of immigrants in shaping American society, Rubio said the United States has benefited immensely from people arriving from different parts of the world and contributing to the nation’s growth.
“Our nation has been enriched by people who have come to our country from all over the world, become Americans, assimilated into our way of life, and contributed greatly,” he said.
The US diplomat’s remarks came amid a packed diplomatic schedule in India, where he also held delegation-level talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in New Delhi.
During the discussions, Rubio emphasized the growing strategic depth of India-US relations, describing the partnership as far more significant than a conventional alliance.
“The US and India aren’t just allies. We are strategic allies, and that’s of critical importance,” Rubio stated, underlining cooperation between the two democracies across multiple geopolitical regions.
He further stressed that while Washington maintains ties with many countries worldwide, its relationship with India stands apart because of its expanding strategic, economic, and security cooperation.
Rubio’s India visit is also linked to broader discussions around Indo-Pacific stability, technology partnerships, defence collaboration, and the evolving role of the Quad grouping in regional affairs.
