US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced that they will renew the Quad, a partnership between the US, India, Australia and Japan, as New Delhi is set to host the top diplomats of the four-nation grouping next week.

Speaking at the US Embassy in New Delhi, Rubio emphasised the critical nature of the alliance.

"The relationship between our two countries is at the cornerstone of our approach to the Indo-Pacific... My very first meeting officially as secretary of state was a meeting of the Quad, and we were going to renew that," Rubio said.

"We wanted to do it here, not just because of our commitment to that structure of work, but also as a tangible sign of what an important role India plays in the United States."

Focus on ties and cooperation

Following his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, the top US diplomat is scheduled to hold talks with his Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar on Sunday and participate in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, commonly known as the Quad, on Tuesday in New Delhi.

Diplomats will exchange views on advancing cooperation across priority areas and review ongoing initiatives.

Rubio also noted that the relationship between Modi and US President Donald Trump is "personal," adding: "It dates back to the first administration when the president had a chance to visit here and it has carried over into the second administration. You can just see the connection between them."

Stressing commercial ties, Rubio stated: "We've expanded commercial ties with more than $20 billion in investments from the Indian companies in the United States."