Jaishankar-Rubio Meeting: US Says India Ties 'Critical' Amid Tariffs, H-1B Visa Tensions
Rubio and Jaishankar agreed on working together to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region, including through the Quad, the US State Department said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Jaishankar said their meeting covered "a range of bilateral and international issues of current concern", and the two sides agreed on the "importance of sustained engagement to progress on priority areas".
Rubio, reiterating that India is a relationship of critical importance to the US, expressed his appreciation for the Indian government’s continued engagement on several issues, including trade, defence, energy, pharmaceuticals, critical minerals, and other items related to the bilateral relationship, according to a statement from the US State Department.
The meeting comes amid tense India-US relations over thorny issues, including Washington's 50% tariff on Indian goods and the $100,000 fee on new H-1B non-immigrant visas.
"Rubio and Jaishankar agreed the United States and India will continue working together to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region, including through the Quad," the statement added.
Jaishankar also met the US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia and the ambassador nominee to India, Sergio Gor. "They look forward to further promoting the success of the US-India relationship," the State Department said.
India-US relations have soured over trade and immigration policies adopted by the Trump administration. The US has pressured India to pull back on its ties with Russia and reduce engagement with the BRICS bloc.
New Delhi has criticised the 50% tariff, half of which is a penalty for buying Russian oil, calling it 'unjustified'.
A delegation led by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is in Washington to discuss the US-India trade deal. He is likely to meet with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
Sergio Gor said last week that the two countries are not far apart when it comes to a bilateral trade deal, and negotiations will carry on to iron out differences. "I do think it will get resolved over the next few weeks," Gor said.
India is scheduled to host the Quad Leaders' Summit later this year with Japan, Australia, and the US.
