Kolkata, May 23 -- Signalling a major diplomatic push, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Kolkata on Saturday morning, marking the first visit by a top American diplomat to the eastern metropolis in 14 years.

The brief stopover serves as the opening leg of a high-stakes, four-day India tour aimed at repairing strained bilateral ties and reinforcing regional partnerships.

Shortly after landing, Rubio visited the Mother House in central Kolkata, the global headquarters of Saint Teresa's Missionaries of Charity, and its adjoining Children's Home, a visit carrying strong symbolic and cultural resonance. The last US Secretary of State to set foot in Kolkata was Hillary Clinton in May 2012.

Rubio's first official visit to India mar...