NEW DELHI, India — U.S. Senator Steve Daines, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has concluded what the U.S. Embassy in India described as a “productive” visit to the country, marked by high-level meetings with senior Indian officials, lawmakers, and business leaders.
During his January 17–19 visit, Daines met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, members of parliament, and representatives from the U.S. and Indian business communities.
Reflecting on the trip, Daines said his visit was aimed at reinforcing the broader U.S.-India relationship while also advocating for agricultural interests from his home state.
“I came to India to reaffirm our two countries’ shared values and strategic partnership and to advocate on behalf of Montana’s pulse crop farmers,” Daines said. “I appreciated Minister Goyal for listening to our farmers’ concerns and will continue to work with President Trump to press this important priority.”
According to the U.S. Mission India, discussions with senior Indian officials and parliamentarians focused on expanding defense cooperation, securing global supply chains, and reinforcing the strategic partnership between the two countries to support shared security goals and a stable, open Indo-Pacific region.
“While in India, Sen. Daines pursued interests of the Trump Administration as well as the people of Montana, including urging favourable pulse crop provisions in any future trade agreements between the United States and India,” the U.S. Embassy said in a statement. “Montana is the top producer of pulse crops in the United States, and India is the top consumer in the world.”
The embassy said Daines also pushed for faster progress in ongoing negotiations toward a “fair and reciprocal” bilateral trade agreement between the two countries.
In meetings with business leaders, Daines highlighted opportunities to deepen cooperation in advanced technologies and to expand trade and investment ties to support economic growth in both nations.
U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said the visit underscored Washington’s commitment to strengthening ties with New Delhi.
“As we work to take the partnership between our two nations to the next level in cooperation, I will ensure that senior government officials will regularly travel to India,” Gor said. He added that Daines’ meetings with government and private-sector stakeholders were instrumental in advancing the bilateral relationship.
Daines met Jaishankar in New Delhi on Sunday, holding what both sides described as a wide-ranging discussion on bilateral ties and their strategic importance.
“A pleasure meeting Senator Steve Daines this morning in Delhi. A wide ranging and open discussion on our bilateral relationship and its strategic significance,” Jaishankar wrote in a post on X following the meeting.
The visit followed a recent phone call between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Jaishankar, during which the two leaders reviewed key areas of cooperation, including civil nuclear energy, trade negotiations, and regional security in the Indo-Pacific.
“Discussed trade, critical minerals, nuclear cooperation, defence, and energy. Agreed to remain in touch on these and other issues,” Jaishankar said after the call.
Ambassador Gor described that conversation as positive, noting that both sides discussed next steps on trade talks, critical minerals, and the possibility of a follow-up meeting in the coming weeks. (Source: IANS)
