Today, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York for bilateral discussions that took place on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly. This meeting, held at the Lotte New York Palace, marked their first in-person encounter since US President Donald Trump implemented an additional 25 percent tariff on India regarding its acquisition of Russian oil, which increased the total tariff to 50 percent. Jaishankar and Rubio last convened in July in Washington during the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. Their discussions in New York coincided with the commencement of talks between India and the US aimed at finalizing a trade agreement. Additionally, a delegation led by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal also engaged with US officials in the city on Monday. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry stated, “The delegation plans to take forward the discussions with a view to achieving early conclusion of a mutually beneficial Trade Agreement.” Jaishankar arrived in New York on Sunday for the high-level UNGA week, where he is set to participate in a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings and will present India’s national statement during the General Debate on 27 September.
