Jaishankar-Rubio meeting in US: India, US discuss critical minerals, trade and strategic cooperation

The meeting took place amid renewed momentum in India-US ties following the announcement of a new trade agreement between the two countries after months of negotiations and tension.

After the talks, Jaishankar described the interaction as “a wide-ranging conversation” covering bilateral cooperation as well as regional and global issues.

“Facets of the India-US Strategic Partnership discussed included trade, energy, nuclear, defence, critical minerals and technology,” he said in a post on X. He added that both sides agreed on holding early meetings of various mechanisms to advance shared interests.

According to a statement issued by the US Department of State, Secretary Rubio and Minister Jaishankar welcomed the trade deal reached between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“The two leaders emphasized the importance of our democracies working together to unlock new economic opportunities and advance our shared energy security goals,” the statement said.

Both sides also reaffirmed their commitment to expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation through the Quad framework, underscoring that a prosperous Indo-Pacific region remains vital to advancing shared interests.

Why is Jaishankar visiting the US?

Jaishankar is on a visit to the United States from February 2 to February 4 to participate in the Critical Minerals Ministerial.

The meeting comes a day after President Trump announced that the US and India had agreed to a new trade deal following a phone call with Prime Minister Modi.

Under the agreement, the United States will immediately reduce its reciprocal tariff on Indian imports from 25 per cent to 18 per cent. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the deal was reached “out of friendship and respect” for Modi. He added that India has agreed to eliminate tariffs and non-tariff barriers on US goods.

Trump further stated that India would halt purchases of Russian oil and increase energy imports from the United States, linking the move to efforts aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.

Prime Minister Modi confirmed the development on X, welcoming the tariff reduction to 18 per cent on “Made in India” products and thanking President Trump for the decision. He said closer cooperation between the world’s largest democracies would unlock significant opportunities for mutually beneficial growth.