External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, DC, on Tuesday. During the meeting, both leaders “welcomed” the trade deal reached between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump.
They also discussed ways to formalise cooperation between India and the United States in the exploration, mining, and processing of critical minerals.
Talks Ahead of Critical Minerals Meeting
Rubio held one-on-one talks with Jaishankar at the US State Department. The meeting took place ahead of the first critical minerals ministerial meeting, which the United States will host on Wednesday.
Jaishankar said the discussions covered the broader “bilateral cooperation agenda” along with key regional and global developments.
Wide-Ranging Discussion on Strategic Partnership
Jaishankar shared details of the meeting in a post on X. He said the talks touched several areas of cooperation between the two countries.
“A wide-ranging conversation that covered our bilateral cooperation agenda, regional and global issues. Facets of the India-US Strategic Partnership discussed included trade, energy, nuclear, defence, critical minerals, and technology. Agreed on the early meetings of various mechanisms to advance our shared interests,” he wrote.
Delighted to meet US @SecRubio this afternoon.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 3, 2026
A wide ranging conversation that covered our bilateral cooperation agenda, regional and global issues.
Facets of India - US Strategic Partnership discussed included trade, energy, nuclear, defence, critical minerals and… pic.twitter.com/1rbXJHgEQY
US Welcomes Deal Reached by Modi and Trump
The US State Department also issued a summary of the meeting. Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Rubio and Jaishankar “welcomed the trade deal reached between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi."
According to the statement, both leaders stressed the need for the world’s leading democracies to work closely together. They said such cooperation would help “unlock new economic opportunities and advance our shared energy security goals”.
Focus on Quad and Indo-Pacific
The statement added that the two leaders “expressed their commitment to expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation through the Quad”.
They also “acknowledged that a prosperous Indo-Pacific region remains vital to advancing our shared interests”, Pigott said.
Breakthrough in India-US Trade Talks
Prime Minister Modi and President Trump announced the India-US trade deal after a phone call on Monday. The agreement followed nearly a year of tough negotiations that had strained ties between the two countries.
During this period, India faced some of the highest tariffs imposed by the United States.
Lower Tariffs for Indian Goods
After speaking with Trump, PM Modi said Indian goods exported to the US would now face a reduced tariff of 18%. This replaces the earlier reciprocal tariff rate of 25%.
The move is expected to provide relief to Indian exporters and improve trade flows between the two nations.
Trump Says Deal Goes Beyond Tariffs
President Trump described the agreement as more than just a tariff cut. In a post on Truth Social, he said the deal was finalised and would bring major changes.
He said India would reduce its tariffs and non-tariff barriers on US goods to zero. He also said India would commit to buying more than $500 billion worth of American energy, technology, farm products, coal, and other goods.
Key Details of the Trade Agreement
People aware of the development said the deal does not include Indian dairy and other “sensitive” agriculture items. It allows zero-duty access for over $40 billion worth of Indian goods.
The agreement also lowers customs duties on labour-intensive exports. These include textiles, leather goods, marine products, chemicals, and some agricultural items such as processed food. From the first day, these goods will attract an 18% duty.
The deal is expected to strengthen economic ties and deepen the strategic partnership between India and the United States.