External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met on Monday, covering a range of bilateral and international matters. They concurred on the significance of continued engagement to make progress on key areas. This meeting was their first in-person encounter since trade tensions escalated, stemming from US tariffs on Indian goods and the purchase of Russian oil. India and the US are actively pursuing a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). Positive discussions were held during a recent visit by officials from the Office of the United States Trade Representative to India, with both sides aiming to finalize a deal. Previous meetings included the 10th Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in July and an earlier meeting in January.
