Jaishankar said, several facets of the India-US Strategic Partnership were discussed during the talks, including trade, energy, nuclear, defence, critical minerals and technology.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his US counterpart, Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Tuesday. The two leaders discussed formalising bilateral cooperation on critical minerals exploration, mining and processing.
Jaishankar said, several facets of the India-US Strategic Partnership were discussed during the talks, including trade, energy, nuclear, defence, critical minerals and technology. In his post on X, Jaishankar informed that both leaders agreed on the early meetings of various mechanisms to advance our shared interests.As per the statement released by Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott, Jaishankar and Marco Rubio welcomed the much-awaited India-US trade deal reached between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump.Wide range of topic discussed between Jaishankar and RubioStatement said, The two leaders emphasised the importance of our democracies working together to unlock new economic opportunities and advance our shared energy security goals. 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 statement added further.The talks also addressed the regional and multilateral aspects of the partnership. Rubio and Jaishankar wrapped up the meeting by reiterating their commitment to strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, noting that a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific is essential to promoting their shared interests.The meeting between S Jaishankar and Marco Rubio came a day after US President Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that New Delhi and the Washington agreed to a trade deal.The Jaishankar–Rubio meeting took place a day after Trump announced on Truth Social that India and the US had reached a trade agreement, under which Washington would reduce the reciprocal tariff on New Delhi from 25% to 18%.Trump also claimed that PM Modi has agreed to stop purchasing Russian oil and Indian tariffs on US goods will potentially be reduced to Zero. However, no official confirmation has been made from Indian side yet. Even Kremlin on Tuesday issued a statement, saying India has not informed Russia about its halt of buying Russian oil. Jaishankar meets Scott BessentEarlier, in the day, EAM Jaishankar also met US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington. He described the talk productive, saying, Had a useful discussion on advancement of India-US economic partnership and strategic cooperation. The two meetings underscored the widening scope of India–US engagement, covering areas such as diplomacy, security, trade, and finance. Senior officials from both countries have stressed the importance of stronger inter-departmental coordination to convert political momentum into tangible results.In recent years, India and the United States have stepped up collaboration in defence, energy, and emerging technologies, alongside strengthening economic links through trade and investment. Both sides have identified critical minerals and advanced technologies as key priority sectors, given their role in clean energy transitions and high-end manufacturing.These latest high-level interactions come after ongoing consultations between New Delhi and Washington on regional and global matters, including Indo-Pacific developments. Officials from both countries have consistently described the India–US partnership as a cornerstone of their foreign policy approaches.EAM Jaishankar is on a 3-day visit to the United States from February 2 to 4 and will also participate in the Critical Minerals Ministerial presided by Rubio on Wednesday. Jaishankar is scheduled to hold meetings with senior members of the US administration during his visit to US, as per the Foreign Ministry.
|
