NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Monday met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York, marking their first in-person meeting since US President Donald Trump imposed additional tariffs on India. Both the leaders met on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The two leaders last met in Washington in July for the 10th Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and had also held discussions earlier in January this year. The US levied hefty 50% tariffs on India, including a 25% punitive charge for Russian oil purchases. The Trump’s White House also maintained a conspicuous silence on the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia mutual defense treaty amid reports that neither country informed Washington of the pact, suggesting a growing US indifference to India’s concerns.And on the top of that H-1B visa fee hike. Trump on Friday (US time) issued a new presidential proclamation titled “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers” that introduces a major overhaul to the H-1B visa programme, imposing a steep $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications, raising fresh questions about whether this is a much-needed correction or a potentially crippling blow to America’s tech talent pipeline. The new fee takes effect from 12:01 am on September 21, 2025, prompting immigration attorneys and companies to advise H-1B holders or their families currently outside the US to return immediately or risk being stranded.The fee increase represents a massive jump from the current $2,000–5,000 range, sparking concerns over its impact on startups, small businesses, and Indian IT professionals.
