 "Marco Rubio holds first bilateral with S Jaishankar: Is this the US’ attempt to put India first?")
Just a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States, his Cabinet started to take shape with the confirmation of his first nominee — Marco Rubio for secretary of state. The Florida senator took the oath of office on Tuesday after the Senate voted his confirmation.
Soon after his confirmation and his swearing-in as the US chief diplomat, Rubio began his duties holding his very first bilateral with India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, indicating the importance that Washington under Trump is giving to New Delhi. Following their talks, Rubio and Jaishankar also joined their Quad counterparts — Penny Wong from Australia and Iwaya Takeshi from Japan to discuss issues and focus on the Indo-Pacific region.
Many foreign relations experts note that Rubio’s meet with Jaishankar and the external affairs minister’s front-row seat at the inauguration are signs of the importance that New Delhi is for Washington.
Rubio and Jaishankar’s sit down
An hour after Marco Rubio was sworn in as US secretary of state, he sat down with India’s S Jaishankar to discuss the state of the India-US partnership. Notably, the sit-down between the two came against the backdrop of Washington identifying around 18,000 illegal Indians to be sent home, for which New Delhi will start the deportation process, according to a Bloomberg report.
The two leaders held wide-ranging discussions for over an hour, delving into the entire gamut of the India-US strategic partnership. According to a readout from the US side, Rubio and Jaishankar discussed opportunities to further deepen the US-India relationship, in particular on critical and emerging technologies, defence cooperation, energy, and on advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
Moreover, Secretary Rubio emphasised the Trump Administration’s desire to work with India to advance economic ties and address concerns related to irregular migration.
Following their discussions, they made a joint appearance and S Jaishankar posted on X, “Delighted to meet @secrubio for his first bilateral meeting after assumption of office as Secretary of State. Reviewed our extensive bilateral partnership, of which @secrubio has been a strong advocate. Also exchanged views on a wide range of regional and global issues. Look forward to closely working with him to advance our strategic cooperation.”
Delighted to meet @secrubio for his first bilateral meeting after assumption of office as Secretary of State.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 21, 2025
Reviewed our extensive bilateral partnership, of which @secrubio has been a strong advocate.
Also exchanged views on a wide range of regional and global issues.
Look… pic.twitter.com/NVpBUEAyHK
This meeting between Rubio and Jaishankar is of particular significance: Not only was it Rubio’s first as secretary of state, but also the fact that he chose to meet his Indian counterpart over other countries. Traditionally, an incoming US administration has met with its neighbours — Canada and Mexico — or with one of its Nato allies.
Rubio’s Quad meet
After holding over an hour-long meet with Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a sit-down with Quad leaders; this collective is made up of the US, India, Australia and Japan. Rubio met with his counterparts Penny Wong, S Jaishankar and Takeshi Iwaya in Washington.
In a joint statement, the four nations restated their “shared commitment to strengthening a Free and Open Indo-Pacific where the rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty, and territorial integrity are upheld and defended.”
“We also strongly oppose any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion,” the statement said an apparent reference to the threat that China will act on its claim to sovereignty over democratically governed Taiwan.
Speaking on the same, India’s Foreign Minister S Jaishankar wrote on X: “Significant that the Quad (foreign ministers’ meeting) took place within hours of the inauguration of the Trump Administration.
“This underlines the priority it has in the foreign policy of its member states.”
Attended a productive Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting today in Washington DC. Thank @secrubio for hosting us and FMs @SenatorWong & Takeshi Iwaya for their participation.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 21, 2025
Significant that the Quad FMM took place within hours of the inauguration of the Trump Administration. This… pic.twitter.com/uGa4rjg1Bw
For the unaware, the Quad is a strategic collective aimed at addressing China’s increased aggression in the South China Sea as well as the Indo-Pacific region.
Jaishankar’s seating at inauguration
Geopolitical experts also note that if one is looking for signs that Trump values the US-India partnership, then they should take a look at Jaishankar’s seating at the US presidential inauguration at the Capitol Rotunda.
India’s foreign minister was accorded a front-row seat alongside Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa during the inauguration event of US President Donald Trump on Monday (January 20). This is a significant upgrade in protocol, as stated by an India TV report. In contrast, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya was seated two rows behind.
Jaishankar said it was a “great honour” to attend the ceremony as India’s special envoy, which entitled him to a place of honour.
India-US partnership under Trump
Many experts note that with Donald Trump now in the White House, there will be a change in the US-India relationship. Many foreign policy experts anticipate a “strong momentum in India-US ties under Trump’s second administration”.
However, there will be challenges along the way, namely in the sector of trade and on the issue of migration.
Most note that Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s friendship will boost ties further. However, Trump’s focus on countering China will be one of the biggest factors working in India’s favour. As an ORF report noted, “The United States, under Donald Trump’s second presidential term, is expected to maintain a focus on strengthening security and defence ties with India, leveraging the country’s strategic importance in the Indo-Pacific region, and in countering China’s influence.”
However, it may not be all smooth sailing. Some thinkers note that Trump’s unpredictable style of working and his ‘America First’ thinking may pose some troubles. As Brig Rahul Bhonsle (retired), a strategic affairs expert, told PTI, “We will have to look for giving greater concessions to the Americans, in economic relations, trade in particular, tariffs.”
He further added that the ‘America First’ and ‘Make in India’ policies of the two governments display an “inherent contradiction” that could have an impact on defence ties between the two countries and projects in the pipeline, both in terms of the extent of manufacturing in India and the aspect of the transfer of technology.
We will have to wait and see what comes next but as reports state one can expect the US president to make a visit to India in the first 100 days of his term.
With inputs from agencies
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