India-US ties are of critical importance: Rubio says on meeting Jaishankar amid tariff row, H-1B turmoil

Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State, on Monday stressed the importance of Washington’s partnership with New Delhi during a meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. He said the two countries would "continue working together to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region, including through the Quad."

US-India ties have been strained by trade frictions, but appeared to be picking up again until President Donald Trump's visa announcement on Friday — a move that has hit Indian technology companies hard.

What Marco Rubio said

As per an official statement, "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."

He later posted on X: “Met with Indian External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar 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.”

What Jaishankar said

S Jaishankar earlier said he and Marco Rubio agreed on the importance of sustained engagement to make progress in priority areas.

"Good to meet @SecRubio this morning in New York. Our conversation covered a range of bilateral and international issues of current concern. Agreed on the importance of sustained engagement to progress on priority areas. We will remain in touch," Jaishankar said on social media.

Monday's meeting was the first between Rubio and Jaishankar since Trump imposed extra tariffs on India over its purchases of Russian oil. They last met in July at a meeting of the Quad grouping, which brings the two countries together with Japan and Australia, countries that share concerns about China's growing power.

Jaishankar, who arrived in New York on Sunday for the high-level UNGA week, will hold a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings on the sidelines of the session and will deliver the national statement at the General Debate on September 27 from the iconic green UNGA podium.

(With agency inputs)