Monday’s meeting between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar marked a significant step forward in trade discussions and easing tensions sparked by Washington’s stringent tariffs.
Although specific details of the meeting remain scarce, Rubio’s engagement with Jaishankar represents the highest-level contact since the United States imposed sanctions on Russian oil companies last week, a crucial source of India’s crude supplies.
Jaishankar shared a photograph on social media, capturing himself smiling and shaking hands with Rubio, and conveyed his appreciation for their comprehensive discussion on bilateral ties, regional, and global issues.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of a Southeast Asian summit in Malaysia, which US President Donald Trump attended in person, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed via video conference.
Washington and New Delhi’s relations deteriorated in August after Trump increased tariffs to 50 per cent, with US officials accusing India of supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine by purchasing discounted oil from Moscow.
Trump, who spoke with Modi by phone last week, claimed that the Indian leader agreed to reduce Russian oil imports, a claim New Delhi has not publicly addressed.
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