External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Monday held a bilateral meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, covering a wide range of bilateral and international issues.
Jaishankar said the two leaders agreed on the importance of “sustained engagement to progress on priority areas.” In a post on X, he wrote, “Good to meet Secretary of State Marco Rubio this morning in New York. Our conversation covered a range of bilateral and international issues of current concern. Agreed on the importance of sustained engagement to progress on priority areas. We will remain in touch.”
The leaders exchanged a cordial handshake ahead of the discussions, marking their first face-to-face interaction since trade tensions escalated after US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Indian goods over India’s purchase of Russian oil.
The meeting forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen India-US ties, which had come under strain in recent months but have shown signs of recovery. India and the US are also working towards finalising a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal leading a delegation for talks in Washington.
In July, Trump had imposed a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods amid trade negotiations and later levied another 25 per cent on imports linked to Russian oil purchases. According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, officials from the Office of the United States Trade Representative held “positive discussions” during their September 16 visit to India, with both sides agreeing to intensify efforts to conclude a deal.
Jaishankar and Rubio last met in Washington in July during the 10th Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and had earlier held discussions in January this year. The UN General Assembly High-Level Week 2025, marking the 80th UNGA session, will run in New York from September 23 to 29.
(ANI)