Jaishankar to hold talks with Rubio in US today amid tiff over Trump tariffs

In a first since Washington imposed steep 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods over New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is set to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday (Sept 22) in Washington.

According to the US State Department’s public schedule, the two will hold talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

Third meeting this year

This will be Jaishankar and Rubio’s third face-to-face meeting in 2025. The two first met in January during the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Washington, just days after Rubio took office, and again in July at a second Quad gathering.

Goyal in US for Trade talks in the backdrop

The meeting coincides with ongoing India–US trade negotiations in Washington, where Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is leading the Indian side.

Talks resumed after President Donald Trump struck a more conciliatory tone, saying his team was continuing efforts to resolve barriers with New Delhi.

Earlier this month, Trump expressed optimism about concluding a trade agreement with India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded that the discussions would help “unlock the limitless potential of the India–US partnership.”

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Five rounds of negotiations have already taken place, with the sixth — originally scheduled for late August — pushed back.

Key issues in play

While the agenda of the Jaishankar–Rubio talks has not been disclosed, the timing is notable. It comes days after Trump signed a proclamation imposing a new annual USD 100,000 application fee for H-1B visas — a move expected to hit Indian workers hardest, as they make up the majority of recipients.

Busy UNGA session

This year’s UNGA coincides with several high-level events, including commemorations for the UN’s 80th anniversary, a Climate Ambition Summit convened by Secretary-General António Guterres, and a meeting marking 30 years since the Beijing Declaration on women’s rights.

Jaishankar arrived in New York on Sunday to begin his UNGA week, starting with bilateral talks with Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa P Lazaro.