Jaishankar, Rubio welcome trade deal; discuss energy, nuclear, defence, critical minerals

By Admin

04 Feb, 2026

High-Level Talks in Washington DC
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington DC on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, where both leaders welcomed the recently concluded trade deal between India and the United States. The discussions reflected the growing depth of the India–U.S. strategic partnership and focused on advancing cooperation across key economic and security domains.

Welcoming the India–U.S. Trade Deal
According to a readout issued by U.S. State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott, Mr. Jaishankar and Mr. Rubio welcomed the trade deal reached between U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The leaders underlined the importance of the world’s two largest democracies working together to unlock new economic opportunities and strengthen shared energy security goals.
The meeting came a day after Mr. Trump announced that Washington would reduce reciprocal tariffs on India from 25% to 18% under the agreement.

Focus on Critical Minerals Cooperation
A major highlight of the meeting was the emphasis on formalising bilateral cooperation on critical minerals exploration, mining, and processing. Mr. Rubio noted that his talks with Mr. Jaishankar focused on working together in critical minerals exploration to unlock new economic opportunities for both countries.
These discussions took place ahead of the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial being convened by the United States on February 4, 2026, aimed at strengthening and diversifying global supply chains for minerals vital to technology, economic growth, and national security.

Broad Strategic Partnership Agenda
In a post on X after the meeting, Mr. Jaishankar described the conversation as wide-ranging, covering bilateral cooperation as well as regional and global issues. He said that key facets of the India–U.S. Strategic Partnership discussed included trade, energy, nuclear cooperation, defence, critical minerals, and technology. Both sides agreed on the need for early meetings of various mechanisms to advance shared interests.

Quad and Indo-Pacific Commitment
Mr. Rubio and Mr. Jaishankar concluded their meeting by reaffirming their commitment to expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation through the Quad, comprising Australia, India, Japan, and the United States. They acknowledged that a prosperous Indo-Pacific region remains vital to advancing common strategic and economic objectives.

Meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary
During his visit from February 2–4, Mr. Jaishankar also met U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Both leaders discussed advancing the India–U.S. economic partnership and strategic cooperation, with a focus on securing supply chains and addressing national and economic security issues of mutual interest.
Mr. Bessent, who has previously criticised India’s purchases of Russian oil, reiterated concerns around energy security and global supply chain resilience during the talks.

Critical Minerals Ministerial Ahead
At the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial, the United States will welcome international delegations to build momentum for collaboration on securing critical mineral supply chains. Senior U.S. leaders, including Vice President J. D. Vance, Mr. Rubio, and other top officials, are set to deliver opening remarks.
The ministerial is expected to reinforce India–U.S. cooperation in areas central to technological innovation, economic strength, and long-term national security.