Marco Rubio gets an A for sweating it out in the Indian summer, and B+ for making the right noises to quiet the criticism buzzing through Delhi. The visit was necessary for damage control but it will take a lot more to rebuild.Rubio stressed India's strategic importance every chance he got to paper over political difficulties. Sergio Gor even arranged a live call with Trump so POTUS could declare his love: 'India can count on me 100%... If they ever need help, they know where to call.' 'Oh really?' was a common thought.It might be time to look ahead, but the shadow of the past must be handled. Real fixes are needed (GE engine deliveries?), not phone calls to display proximity. The US' stock is down not only on the street but also among younger diplomats. They will carry memories of last year's policy mayhem as tomorrow's ambassadors. Sceptics-turned-US fans are sceptics again.That's the broad picture, but here are some hard facts: the US remains India's most important tech, defence and economic partner, and largest market for exports. In the middle are stuck those whose job is to make it all work.Rubio's reception in Delhi was polite, not effusive. The Indian establishment is aware the secretary increasingly enjoys Trump's confidence - Rubio has taken over Iran negotiations from J D Vance. The two presidential hopefuls are neck-and-neck for Trump's endorsement for 2028. Last heard, the secretary had a slight edge over the VP.Rubio's passage to India was important for the present and future. He reportedly spent around 9 hrs with S Jaishankar in meetings and events - enough to get an unvarnished account of India's concerns and some 'India First' pushback. They reviewed progress - or lack thereof - in key areas, including critical minerals, AI, nuclear energy, trade, defence and security.The two systems have worked closely despite difficulties at the political level. Of the 33 key points in the Trump-Modi joint statement last February, progress is reported on many. Jaishankar announced the signing of a 'comprehensive underwater domain awareness roadmap' that one day may lead to co-production of sensitive underwater systems - an important area for India given Chinese Navy's increased presence in the Indian Ocean.On the down side, a reciprocal defence procurement agreement, which allows companies to sell to each other's defence establishments, remains elusive, as does India's membership in IEA. Joint attempts to expand India's manufacturing capacity to make precursors for critical medicines is yet to find capital.But both systems understand the need for a strong partnership, notwithstanding Trump overplaying Pakistan's utility and underplaying the China challenge. As one US official told me, the Pakistan thing is based on 'surface interaction' and Nobel prize nomination. 'US companies are not investing in Pakistan the way they are in India.' Trump's recent demand that Pakistan join the Abraham Accords as part of a wider settlement in West Asia has complicated Asim Munir's 'mediator' life.On China, India and the US are working on derisking supply chains from Beijing's control and developing new ones. Here's the official US narrative: while Trump manages China with flattery to minimise political fallout, his team is working hard on other fronts.Scott Bessent, treasury secretary and lead on industrial revival plans, has urged partners, including India, to find ways to secure critical minerals and rare earth elements. India has 30 different critical minerals, but it mines only 4. Talk about untapped potential.Notice that Jaishankar and Rubio signed a bilateral critical minerals framework focused on mining and processing, adding another layer to India's membership in two other US- led groups - Forum on Resource Geostrategic Engagement (FORGE) and Pax Silica. The idea: key minerals for advanced tech should be mined, processed and sold within trusted networks. A 'trading bloc' of buyers and sellers can emerge to guarantee availability at a pre-determined price.The Quad foreign ministers' meet, attended by Rubio, Jaishankar, Australia's Penny Wong and Japan's Toshimitsu Motegi, attracted much attention/derision. A Quad leaders' summit may yet come out of the hat later this year depending on Trump's mood and Modi's inclination to accommodate. Meanwhile, the ministers are managing the store. They have met thrice and made enough progress to irritate Beijing.The Quad agenda is leaner and meaner. Last week's joint statement repeated past support for a 'free and open Indo-Pacific', but used sharper language against a certain unnamed Asian giant. And India was comfortable signing on. Two announcements stood out: a new initiative on maritime surveillance in the Indian Ocean to better monitor unfriendly traffic and a critical minerals framework.Bottomline: The non-China world is coalescing to secure critical minerals. It could be a new frontier for US-India relations if Delhi moves faster on exploration, sustainable mining and processing. All must learn about beryllium, gallium, hafnium... and Indium. There's your India connect!