ASEAN Summit: Jaishankar meets Marco Rubio in Malaysia amid ongoing India-US trade talks

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit. Jaishankar expressed his appreciation for the discussions on strengthening bilateral relations and addressing regional and global matters. Jaishankar shared his thoughts on social media, saying, “Had a productive conversation with @SecRubio today in Kuala Lumpur, discussing our bilateral ties along with broader regional and global challenges.” The meeting took place during ongoing trade negotiations between the two countries.

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India’s perspective on trade talks

Last week, India’s Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, reaffirmed that India will not rush into trade agreements or accept any terms from partner countries that restrict its trade flexibility. He emphasised that trade negotiations go beyond just market access or tariffs and should focus on building long-term, sustainable partnerships and global business cooperation.

Goyal highlighted that India’s approach to these talks is not driven by short-term objectives but aims for a broader vision. "It's not just about immediate deals like steel exports to the US but about fostering long-term trust and cooperation," he was quoted as saying.

Progress in India-US trade talks

India's Commerce Secretary, Rajesh Agrawal, expressed optimism regarding the trade discussions with the US, noting that the two sides are aligning on many issues. He suggested that a mutually beneficial agreement is close to being finalised. Agrawal said, “I believe we are very close,” referring to the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) proposed earlier this year during a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump. A joint statement from February had indicated that the first part of the BTA would likely be concluded by the fall, spanning from September to November.