India and the US are warming up their relationship, as shown by a key meeting between India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York on Monday. The two leaders agreed to keep up “sustained engagement” on important issues.
Jaishankar shared details on X after the talks, saying their discussion touched on various bilateral and global concerns. “We agreed on the importance of sustained engagement to make progress on priority areas,” he wrote. He described the meeting as productive and added, “We will remain in touch.”
This was Rubio’s first bilateral chat of the day at the United Nations General Assembly high-level session, where he’s meeting world leaders. Before heading into the room—adorned with flowers and flags—the pair stepped out for a friendly media appearance. They shook hands but skipped questions from reporters.
Even with ongoing disagreements over trade policies and India’s purchases of Russian oil, India and the US share strong ties through the Quad alliance. This group, which includes India, the US, Australia, and Japan, focuses on security and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
Rubio last met Jaishankar and the other Quad ministers in Washington in July. There, Rubio stressed the US commitment to the partnership, calling India and the others “very important strategic partners and allies.” They also held a separate bilateral discussion on the sidelines.
The positive vibe comes after weeks of strain from reciprocal tariffs, penalties on Russian oil buys, and tough words from US President Donald Trump. Last week, Trump called Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to wish him a happy birthday, referring to him as a “friend.” On Truth Social, Trump praised Modi, saying, “He is doing a tremendous job. Narendra: Thank you for your support on ending the War between Russia and Ukraine.”
Modi responded on X, thanking Trump and affirming, “Like you, I am also fully committed to taking the India-US Comprehensive and Global Partnership to new heights.”
Adding to the momentum, the two nations restarted talks for a bilateral trade deal. In New Delhi, US Assistant Trade Representative Brendan Lynch met Indian Commerce Ministry Special Secretary Rajesh Agrawal. India described the session as “positive and forward-looking,” with both sides pledging to push harder for an agreement.
But a fresh challenge emerged over the weekend with H1B visas for skilled professionals. Trump announced stricter rules, including a $100,000 fee that could block many Indian workers from entering the US job market.
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