New Delhi, May 23 -- Highlighting the deep strategic alignment between New Delhi and Washington, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday described the relationship between India and the United States as the "cornerstone" of America's approach to the Indo-Pacific region.

Speaking at the dedication ceremony of the new US Embassy Support Annex Building in New Delhi, Rubio, who is on an official visit to India, announced that the US is introducing a new "America First" visa schedule aimed at prioritising business professionals to further strengthen bilateral ties.

"It is at the cornerstone of this important partnership between us and India, which, as I said, is an incredibly important one. And it's the reason why I'm here on this visi...