Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar late Tuesday met US secretary of state Marco Rubio in Washington against the backdrop of India and the United States recently finalising a long-pending trade deal, under which Washington agreed to cut tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent after nearly a year of negotiations.The meeting took place during Jaishankar’s three-day official visit to the US from February 2 to 4 and came ahead of the inaugural critical minerals ministerial scheduled for Wednesday.During their talks, Jaishankar and Rubio reaffirmed their commitment to expanding “bilateral and multilateral cooperation” through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad). Describing the discussions as “wide-ranging”, Jaishankar said the two leaders exchanged views on a broad spectrum of issues, including nuclear cooperation, defence ties, critical minerals, trade and energy.The Quad brings together the United States, Australia, Japan and India as partner countries.Earlier in the day, Jaishankar also met US treasury secretary Scott Bessent. The two sides discussed ways to advance the India-US economic partnership and strengthen strategic cooperation.The long-awaited trade deal has gained significance following Donald Trump’s return to the White House, as renewed tariff policies and a tougher trade stance have unsettled global commerce, with the US adopting a more assertive approach in negotiations worldwide.
What the Jaishankar–Rubio meeting reveals about India-US priorities
EAM after his meeting with Rubio took it to X, saying it covered bilateral cooperation as well as regional and global issues.“Delighted to meet US @SecRubio this afternoon. A wide ranging conversation that covered our bilateral cooperation agenda, regional and global issues,” Jaishankar posted on X after the meeting.Jaishankar said the discussions spanned key pillars of the India-US Strategic Partnership, including trade, energy, nuclear cooperation, defence, critical minerals and technology.“Facets of India-US Strategic Partnership discussed included trade, energy, nuclear, defence, critical minerals and technology. Agreed on the early meetings of various mechanisms to advance our shared interests,” Jaishankar wrote.According to a readout issued by US state department principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott, the two leaders discussed formalising cooperation on critical minerals across exploration, mining and processing, while also underlining the importance of closer economic and energy collaboration between the two democracies.“The secretary and external affairs minister discussed formalizing bilateral cooperation on critical minerals exploration, mining, and processing. secretary Rubio and minister Jaishankar welcomed the trade deal reached between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi,” the readout stated.“The two leaders emphasised the importance of our democracies working together to unlock new economic opportunities and advance our shared energy security goals,” it added.The meeting also focused on the Indo-Pacific, with both leaders stressing the need for a stable and prosperous region to advance shared strategic interests.“Secretary Rubio and minister Jaishankar concluded their meeting by expressing their commitment to expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation through the Quad. They acknowledged that a prosperous Indo-Pacific region remains vital to advancing our shared interests,” the readout added.
