NEW DELHI: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday described India as a relationship of “critical importance” to Washington after meeting external affairs minister S Jaishankar on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. The meeting came amid strains in bilateral ties following new tariffs on Indian goods and a steep hike in H-1B visa fees by the Trump administration.According to a readout from the US State Department, Rubio expressed appreciation for New Delhi’s engagement across sectors including trade, defense, energy, pharmaceuticals, and critical minerals. He added that Washington and New Delhi would continue working together to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region, including through the Quad.Readout: “Secretary of State Marco Rubio met today with Indian external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly High-level Week.Secretary Rubio, reiterating that India is a relationship of critical importance to the United States, expressed his appreciation for the Indian government’s continued engagement on a number of issues including trade, defense, energy, pharmaceuticals, critical minerals, and other items related to the bilateral relationship.Secretary Rubio and External Affairs Minister Jaishankar agreed the United States and India will continue working together to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region, including through the Quad.”
Jaishankar said the discussions with Rubio touched on “a range of bilateral and international issues of current concern.” Posting on X, the minister wrote: “Agreed on the importance of sustained engagement to progress on priority areas. We will remain in touch.”Rubio in a post on X also said: “Met with Indian external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar at UNGA. We discussed key areas of our bilateral relationship, including trade, energy, pharmaceuticals, and critical minerals and more to generate prosperity for India and the United States.” The two leaders had last met in Washington during the 10th Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in July. Earlier this year, they also held talks in January.
Tariff and visa tensions
The latest meeting comes against the backdrop of fresh trade friction after President Donald Trump imposed a 50 percent tariff on Indian imports, including a 25 percent punitive charge linked to New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil.Adding to the strain, the White House recently introduced sweeping changes to the H-1B visa programme. Under a new presidential proclamation, applicants will be required to pay an annual fee of $100,000 starting September 21, 2025. Immigration experts warn the hike could disrupt the movement of Indian IT professionals and pose challenges for small businesses and startups.Despite the setbacks, both sides signalled a willingness to push trade talks forward. Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal, who is leading a delegation to the US this week, met US trade representative Jamieson Greer in New York to advance discussions on a bilateral trade agreement.
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