US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called India a relationship of "critical importance" to the US after he met External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar on Monday. The crucial meeting took place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. It also comes amid strains in the India-US bilateral relationship due to the imposition of additional tariffs on Indian goods, followed by a hike in the H-1B visa fees by the Trump administration.
According to the US State Department, Rubio appreciated India's engagement across various sectors, including trade, defense, energy, pharmaceuticals, and critical minerals. Adding that both countries will continue working together while promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific region, including via the QUAD.
A readout by the Office of the Spokesperson dated 22nd September 2025 said, "Secretary of State Marco Rubio met today with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week.
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.
Secretary Rubio and External Affairs Minister Jaishankar agreed the United States and India will continue working together to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region, including through the Quad."
S Jaishankar took to X, saying that the discussions with Rubio touched on "a range of bilateral and international issues of current concern." He wrote, "Agreed on the importance of sustained engagement to progress on priority areas. We will remain in touch."
Rubio also shared an update on the meeting on his social media, saying, "Met with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar 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."
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) September 22, 2025
Earlier, the two leaders had met in Washington during the 10th Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting in July. They also held talks in January this year.
Tensions over tariffs and visasThe meeting was held against the backdrop of lingering trade friction after US President Donald Trump imposed a 50 percent tariff on Indian imports, 25% of which was a penalty charge for New Delhi's continuous purchase of Russian oil.
Moreover, the Trump administration also introduced fresh changes to the H-1B visa programme. Under the new executive order signed by the President, the visa applicants will have to pay an annual fee of $1,00,000 starting from September 21, 2025. Experts have warned that the fee hike can cause disruptions in the movement of IT professionals and can also be challenging for new businesses and startups.
Despite this, both countries have shown positive signs to push trade talks forward. India's Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal also met US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in New York to carry on discussions on the bilateral trade agreement.