External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is scheduled to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Department of State on Tuesday at 3:30 pm local time. The discussion is part of Jaishankar’s three-day visit to the United States, where he will participate in the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial on 4 February, hosted in Washington.
In preparation for the ministerial, the US Department of State announced that Secretary Rubio will convene global partners to enhance cooperation on critical mineral supply chains. The event aims to strengthen international collaboration to ensure reliable and resilient supply chains that are vital for economic and national security, technological leadership, and the energy transition.
During his visit, Jaishankar welcomed the recent India-US trade agreement, stating he “welcomed the announcements on bilateral trade.” He noted on X that the agreement will “create more jobs, spur growth and promote innovation in both economies. It will strengthen ‘Make in India’ endeavours and encourage trusted technology ties.” He added, “The opportunities in our economic engagement are truly vast, and we are confident of realizing them. A robust economic relationship is the strongest foundation for our strategic partnership.”
The trade deal is the outcome of a phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on Monday. Under the agreement, Washington has agreed to reduce reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods from 25 per cent to 18 per cent, effective immediately.
PM Modi expressed satisfaction on X, saying he was delighted that “Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18 per cent.” He commented, “Wonderful to speak with my dear friend President Trump today. Delighted that Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18 per cent. Big thanks to President Trump on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India for this wonderful announcement.”
He further stated that cooperation between the two large economies and world’s largest democracies “unlocks immense opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation.” Modi affirmed, “President Trump’s leadership is vital for global peace, stability, and prosperity. India fully supports his efforts for peace.”
In his announcement on social media, President Trump outlined that India will reduce “tariffs and non-tariff barriers” against the United States to zero. He added that New Delhi would increase purchases of American products, including energy, exceeding USD 500 billion.
“Out of friendship and respect for Prime Minister Modi and, as per his request, effective immediately, we agreed to a Trade Deal between the United States and India, whereby the United States will charge a reduced Reciprocal Tariff, lowering it from 25 per cent to 18 per cent,” Trump said. He continued, “India will ‘likewise move forward to reduce their Tariffs and Non Tariff Barriers against the United States, to ZERO.'”
Trump also stated that PM Modi had agreed to significantly increase purchases of American goods, including more than USD 500 billion worth of US energy, technology, agricultural products, coal, and various other items. He remarked, “Our amazing relationship with India will be even stronger going forward. Prime Minister Modi and I are two people that GET THINGS DONE, something that cannot be said for most.”
Trump further mentioned that their conversation addressed efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. He noted, “He agreed to stop buying Russian Oil, and to buy much more from the United States and, potentially, Venezuela.” He added, “This will help END THE WAR in Ukraine, which is taking place right now, with thousands of people dying each and every week!”
The India-US engagement extends beyond trade to broader strategic areas. Earlier this month, discussions on securing global critical mineral networks took place at a high-level Finance Ministerial convened by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The meeting included representatives from India, led by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, and other key economies to diversify supply chains, particularly for rare-earth elements.
On the defence front, India-US ties continue to deepen. On 27 January, a US Congressional delegation led by House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers met with US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. The talks focused on strengthening defence industry collaboration and advancing bilateral military ties under the recently concluded 10-year Major Defence Partnership Framework Agreement.
The Modi-Trump telephone call occurred alongside External Affairs Minister Jaishankar’s arrival in Washington DC.