WASHINGTON, D.C. — External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held separate meetings on Tuesday with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, as India and the United States moved to advance their strategic, diplomatic, and economic partnership.
Following his meeting with Rubio, Jaishankar said the discussions covered a wide range of bilateral, regional, and global issues.
“Delighted to meet US @SecRubio this afternoon,” Jaishankar said in a post on X. “A wide-ranging conversation that covered our bilateral cooperation agenda, regional and global issues.”
He said the talks addressed several core pillars of the India–U.S. relationship. “Facets of India – US Strategic Partnership discussed included trade, energy, nuclear, defence, critical minerals and technology,” Jaishankar said.
According to Jaishankar, both sides agreed to move swiftly on follow-up engagements. “Agreed on the early meetings of various mechanisms to advance our shared interests,” he added.
A U.S. State Department readout said the two leaders discussed formalizing cooperation on critical minerals exploration, mining, and processing, an area that has become a key component of the broader economic and strategic partnership between the two countries.
The meeting took place a day after President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a trade deal aimed at lowering barriers and expanding market access between the two countries.
Rubio and Jaishankar welcomed the agreement, emphasizing the importance of closer cooperation between the two democracies to unlock new economic opportunities and strengthen shared energy security goals, according to the readout.
The discussions also focused on regional and multilateral cooperation. Rubio and Jaishankar reaffirmed their commitment to expanding bilateral and multilateral engagement through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, noting that a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region remains central to advancing shared interests.
Earlier in the day, Jaishankar also met with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington. “Pleased to meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington DC today,” he said in a separate post.
Describing the meeting as productive, Jaishankar said, “Had a useful discussion on advancement of India – US economic partnership and strategic cooperation.”
The twin meetings underscored the expanding scope of India–U.S. engagement, which now spans diplomacy, security, trade, finance, and emerging technologies. Officials from both sides have stressed the need for closer coordination across government agencies to translate political momentum into tangible outcomes.
India and the United States have steadily expanded cooperation in recent years across defense, energy, and advanced technologies, while also deepening trade and investment ties. Both governments have identified critical minerals and advanced manufacturing as priority areas, given their importance to clean energy transitions and high-end industrial supply chains.
The latest high-level engagements come amid sustained dialogue between New Delhi and Washington on regional and global challenges, including developments in the Indo-Pacific, with officials on both sides describing the bilateral relationship as a central pillar of their foreign policy strategies. (Source: IANS)
