Kuala Lumpur: On the sidelines of the 15th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in July, Union Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“Delighted to meet US Secretary of State @secrubio on the sidelines of the 15th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,” the Minister wrote on X following their interaction.

Earlier, Margherita held bilateral talks with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Prak Sokhonn, focusing on heritage conservation and developmental cooperation. He expressed thanks for Cambodia’s continued support in India’s fight against terrorism.

“Discussed our multifaceted bilateral relations… Thanked Cambodia for its support in India’s fight against terrorism,” Margherita posted on X, also referring to his recent productive visit to the country.

ASEAN Cooperation Reaffirmed

On July 10, the MoS met ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, acknowledging his personal commitment in steering the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The meeting reaffirmed India’s emphasis on timely implementation of decisions made at the leadership level.

The MoS also held separate bilateral meetings with Bui Thanh Son, Foreign Minister of Vietnam, Sugiono, Foreign Minister of Indonesia, Theresa P. Lazaro, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Philippines.

With Ms Lazaro, Margherita marked 75 years of diplomatic ties between India and the Philippines. The two sides discussed new pathways to deepen cooperation and reiterated solidarity in the joint fight against terrorism.

Margherita co-chaired the ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (FMM) with Secretary Lazaro, where the 2026–2030 ASEAN-India Plan of Action (POA) was officially adopted. “As we celebrate the ASEAN-India Year of Tourism, we discussed new approaches to bolster people-to-people relations,” the Minister posted.

The MoS had earlier arrived in Kuala Lumpur on the evening of July 9 to participate in the ASEAN-India FMM, responding to an invitation from Malaysia, the current ASEAN Chair.