Jaishankar speaks to Secretary of State Rubio after US envoy calls India a 'consequential partner'

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday (Jan 13) said "concluded a good conversation" with the United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio and had discussions on "Trade, critical minerals, nuclear cooperation, defence and energy." Jaishankar's talks with Rubio come a day after the American ambassador to India described India-US relations as “a consequential global partnership of this century.”

"Just concluded a good conversation with @SecRubio.Discussed trade, critical minerals, nuclear cooperation, defence and energy," S Jaishankar posted on X, adding that both sides "Agreed to remain in touch on these and other issues".

External Affairs Minister's talks with Rubio came a day after Sergio Gor took charge as the US Ambassador to India and invited India to the US-led coalition on the critical minerals supply chain, the Pax Silica, adding that both sides remain actively engaged to secure a trade deal.

“In fact, the next call on trade will occur tomorrow. Remember, India is the world’s largest nation, so it’s not an easy task to get this across the finish line, but we are determined to get there, and while trade is very important for our relationship, we will continue to work closely together on other very important areas, such as security, counterterrorism, energy, technology, education and health,” he said.

Describing India as a real friend, Gor said that disagreement is part of a friendship and stressed that the India-US partnership is rooted in a relationship at the highest level.

“The United States and India are bound not just by shared interest, but by a relationship anchored at the highest levels. Real friends can disagree, but always resolve their differences”.

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“In the end, last week, our great Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, powerfully stated that this year will be a year of reciprocity. We are raising the standard for diplomacy itself, which means fair trade, mutual respect and shared security. Many of you have asked me for an update on the ongoing trade deal negotiations. Both sides continue to actively engage," he added.

India and US ties have come under strain due to a deadlock in trade negotiations, with talks slipping despite deadlines in mid‑2025. After months of negotiations leading up to an August 1, 2025 deadline for tariff enforcement, the Trump administration imposed sweeping duties on Indian goods , including a 25 per cent “reciprocal” tariff and an additional 25 per cent penalty tied to India’s continued imports of Russian oil, bringing the total to around 50 per cent, one of the highest rates faced by any trading partner.