Washington
Citing a landmark India–United States trade agreement that is now in its final stages, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday said a strong momentum is clearly visible in the deepening engagement between India and the United States.
The minister made the remarks as he concluded his February 2–4 visit to the U.S., describing the trip as productive and forward-looking.
The historic India–US trade deal is in the final stages of detailing that will be completed very soon, Jaishankar said in a post on X. He added that the agreement would open a new phase in bilateral ties, unlocking vast opportunities across trade, investment, and strategic cooperation. Overall, a strong momentum is evident, the minister noted.
During his visit, Jaishankar participated in the Critical Minerals Ministerial convened by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, underscoring the growing importance of minerals critical to clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and emerging technologies. Thanking Rubio for his hospitality, Jaishankar said cooperation in the critical minerals sector is advancing rapidly and would be a key pillar of the partnership in the coming years.
The External Affairs Minister held a series of high-level meetings with senior members of the U.S. administration, including separate discussions with Secretary Rubio and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. These meetings focused on strengthening the India–U.S. strategic and economic partnership amid evolving global and regional challenges.
Delighted to meet US Secretary Rubio this afternoon, Jaishankar said after one of the meetings. He described the talks as wide-ranging, covering bilateral cooperation as well as regional and global issues. According to Jaishankar, discussions with Rubio spanned multiple pillars of the relationship, including trade, energy, nuclear cooperation, defence, critical minerals, and technology.
Both sides agreed to move swiftly on follow-up engagements. Agreed on the early meetings of various mechanisms to advance our shared interests, Jaishankar said, indicating a push for faster implementation of decisions taken at the political level.
