External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York on Monday. Both had a detailed conversation covering a range of bilateral and international issues, the Indian minister said on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
The two also agreed on the importance of sustained engagement to progress on priority areas, and decided to remain in touch, Jaishankar wrote.
Jaishankar is on an official visit to the US.
Add Zee Business as a Preferred Source
Good to meet @SecRubio 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.
Jaishankar-Rubio meeting in New York amid UNGA
Jaishankar’s visit to the US coincides with the high-level 80th session of the UN General Assembly.
This marks his first face-to-face meeting with Rubio after US President Donald Trump imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on India over Russian oil imports, taking the total levy to 50 per cent — the highest on any of America’s trade partner, besides Mexico.
Before Monday’s meeting, the two leaders last interacted in July during the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Washington DC.
Also on Monday, India and the US began fresh talks on an early conclusion of a trade agreement between them.
This month, Prime Minuster Narendra Modi and the US president expressed hope that both sides finalise a trade deal between the world’s largest and fifth-largest economies by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is set to lead the Indian delegation in the India-US trade discussions.
The Commerce Ministry said the US Trade Representative’s team had held “positive discussions” in Delhi last week, with both sides agreeing to step up efforts for a mutually beneficial deal.
Jaishankar’s US visit
Jaishankar reached New York on Sunday, starting his UNGA engagements with a meeting with Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa P Lazaro.
Through the week, he is scheduled to engage in a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings, before delivering India’s national statement at the General Debate on September 27.
