In a significant development following Washington’s 50 percent tariffs on Indian goods over New Delhi’s Russian oil purchases, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is scheduled to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday, September 22, in Washington. The meeting is set to take place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, according to the US State Department’s public schedule.

Third Face-to-Face Meeting This Year

This will be the third direct meeting between Jaishankar and Rubio in 2025. They first met in January during the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Washington, just days after Rubio assumed office. They met again in July at a second Quad gathering.

Trade Talks Underway

The meeting comes as India-US trade negotiations continue in Washington, led by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal for India. Talks had resumed after former President Donald Trump adopted a more conciliatory tone, saying his team was working to resolve trade barriers with New Delhi.

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

So far, five rounds of negotiations have taken place. The sixth round, originally scheduled for late August, was delayed.

Key Issues on the Agenda

While the exact topics for the Jaishankar–Rubio meeting have not been made public, the timing is notable. It comes just days after Trump signed a proclamation imposing a USD 100,000 annual application fee for H-1B visas. The fee is expected to impact Indian workers the most, as they form the majority of H-1B recipients.

Busy UNGA Week

This year’s UNGA session features several high-profile events, including 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 engagements. He started with bilateral talks with Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa P. Lazaro, setting the stage for a week of high-level diplomacy.