EAM Jaishankar Meets US Secretary Of State Rubio, Treasury Chief Bessent In Washington

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday held separate meetings with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington, engaging in wide-ranging discussions on the India–US strategic and economic partnership.

“Delighted to meet US @SecRubio this afternoon,” Jaishankar said in a post on X. He described the talks as wide-ranging, covering bilateral cooperation as well as regional and global issues.

Jaishankar said discussions with Rubio spanned multiple pillars of the India–US relationship, including trade, energy, nuclear cooperation, defence, critical minerals and technology.

Both sides agreed to move quickly on follow-up engagements, with early meetings of various mechanisms to advance shared interests.

According to a US State Department readout, the two leaders discussed formalising cooperation on critical minerals exploration, mining and processing — a key area in the growing economic and strategic partnership between the two countries.

The meeting followed an announcement a day earlier by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a trade deal aimed at lowering barriers and expanding market access.

Rubio and Jaishankar welcomed the agreement, underlining its potential to unlock new economic opportunities and strengthen shared energy security goals.

The two leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, stressing the importance of a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

Earlier in the day, Jaishankar met US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, describing the interaction as productive.

“Had a useful discussion on advancement of India–US economic partnership and strategic cooperation,” he said.

The twin meetings highlighted the expanding scope of India–US engagement, spanning diplomacy, security, trade, finance and emerging technologies, with both sides emphasising closer coordination to translate political momentum into concrete outcomes.