External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held wide-ranging discussions in Manila on Wednesday, focusing on key areas of the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, including trade and tariffs, defence cooperation, energy security, critical minerals and artificial intelligence.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of high-level ministerial engagements linked to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Quad. Both leaders discussed ways to further deepen bilateral cooperation and address regional and global challenges.
Sharing details of the meeting on social media, Jaishankar said the talks focused on priority areas of India-US cooperation.
“Our meeting focused on areas which are priority for the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, including trade & tariffs, energy, defence & security, critical minerals & artificial intelligence,” Jaishankar said.
He added that the two sides also exchanged views on regional, global and multilateral issues of mutual interest.
India-US trade deal also discussed
The discussions come amid ongoing negotiations between India and the United States over an interim bilateral trade arrangement.
A US State Department readout said Rubio and Jaishankar discussed advancing bilateral commitments made during talks between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year.
The two leaders also reviewed progress on defence agreements linked to those commitments and discussed recent developments in West Asia and the Indo-Pacific region.
The readout said both sides stressed the importance of finalising the interim trade deal, which it described as “almost complete.”
US Ambassador hints at possible Rubio visit to India
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor described the Jaishankar-Rubio meeting as “a very productive bilateral meeting” in a post on X.
He also hinted at a possible visit by Rubio to India later this year, writing, “Secretary Rubio might be coming back to India later this year… stay tuned.”
However, neither Washington nor New Delhi has officially confirmed any plans for a visit by the US Secretary of State.
Quad meeting focuses on Indo-Pacific security
The Jaishankar-Rubio meeting took place as the Quad grouping of India, the United States, Australia and Japan held its Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila on the sidelines of ASEAN-related gatherings.
The Quad discussions focused on regional security, maritime cooperation, emerging technologies and developments in the Indo-Pacific.
Jaishankar is in Manila for a two-day visit to participate in multiple ASEAN-linked foreign minister-level meetings, including the ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and ASEAN Regional Forum meetings.
The Ministry of External Affairs said the visit reflects India’s continued engagement with ASEAN under the Act East Policy and its commitment to strengthening the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
