By Eric Martin and Sudhi Ranjan Sen

The US is seeking to expand its strategic relationship with Pakistan but those ties don’t come at the expense of Washington’s relations with India, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.

Just like India has ties with countries that the US doesn’t, the vice versa applies, Rubio told reporters on Saturday on board a flight to Doha.

“It’s part of a mature, pragmatic foreign policy,” 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 US’s pivot toward Pakistan under President Donald Trump has irked New Delhi and coincided with a fraying in ties between Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Pakistan and India, nuclear-armed neighbors wi

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