Finance
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met separately with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, discussing the India-US strategic and economic partnership.
“Delighted to meet US @SecRubio this afternoon,” Jaishankar said in a post on X after the meeting. “A wide-ranging conversation that covered our bilateral cooperation agenda, regional and global issues.”
He said the discussions with Rubio covered multiple pillars of the India-US relationship. “Facets of India – US Strategic Partnership discussed included trade, energy, nuclear, defence, critical minerals and technology,” Jaishankar said.
The External Affairs Minister said both sides agreed to move quickly on follow-up engagements. “Agreed on the early meetings of various mechanisms to advance our shared interests,” he added.
According to a State Department statement, the two leaders discussed formalizing bilateral collaboration in vital minerals exploration, mining, and processing, which has evolved as a key pillar of India-US economic and strategic relations.
The meeting occurred the day after President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed a trade agreement aimed at cutting barriers and extending market access between the world’s two largest democracies.
Secretary Rubio and Minister Jaishankar praised the agreement, emphasizing the importance of the two democracies working together to create new economic possibilities and promote shared energy security objectives, according to the readout.
The discussions also focused on the regional and multilateral dimensions of the partnership. Rubio and Jaishankar concluded their meeting by reaffirming their commitment to expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. They acknowledged that a prosperous Indo-Pacific region remains vital to advancing shared interests.
Earlier in the day, Jaishankar also met US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington. “Pleased to meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington DC today,” he said in a separate post.
Jaishankar described the talks as productive. “Had a useful discussion on advancement of India – US economic partnership and strategic cooperation,” he said.
The dual summits showed the growing spectrum of India-US engagement, which included diplomacy, security, trade, and finance. Senior officials on both sides have highlighted the importance of cross-departmental collaboration in translating political momentum into tangible results.
In recent years, India and the United States have strengthened their cooperation in defense, energy, and emerging technologies, as well as expanding economic connections through trade and investment. Both countries have identified essential minerals and advanced technologies as priority sectors due to their importance in renewable energy transitions and high-end manufacturing.
The most recent high-level engagements reflect New Delhi and Washington’s ongoing communication on regional and global problems, especially Indo-Pacific developments. Officials on both sides have described the India-US partnership as a central pillar of their respective foreign policy strategies.
Source: IANS
