Last Updated on September 22, 2025 10:45 pm by BIZNAMA NEWS
AMN
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly on Monday. The meeting came against the backdrop of recent trade frictions sparked by President Donald Trump’s decision to impose 25% tariffs on Indian goods and additional duties linked to India’s purchase of Russian oil.
This was the first direct interaction between Jaishankar and Rubio since tensions escalated earlier this year. The talks focused on restoring momentum in India-US ties, with both sides working toward a long-pending bilateral trade agreement. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is already leading negotiations in Washington, where “positive discussions” were reported earlier this month with US trade officials.
The meeting also touched upon Trump’s recent executive order imposing a USD 100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications, a move that has raised concerns among Indian professionals. The White House later clarified that existing visa holders would not be affected.
Rubio reaffirmed India’s central role in the Indo-Pacific and described bilateral ties as among the US’s “most important relationships.” The meeting signals cautious optimism as both nations seek to balance trade disputes with broader strategic cooperation.