New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a phone conversation with his United States counterpart Marco Rubio on Tuesday. The two diplomats discussed the next steps in ongoing trade negotiations between the two nations.
Focus on Trade and Strategic Cooperation
The call centered on advancing bilateral trade talks. Both ministers explored avenues for deeper economic collaboration. They specifically addressed issues related to critical minerals and nuclear cooperation.
Defense and energy partnerships also featured prominently in their discussion. Jaishankar and Rubio agreed to maintain regular contact on these and other matters of mutual interest.
Timing Follows New US Envoy's Arrival
This high-level dialogue occurred just one day after the new US envoy to India, Sergio Gor, officially assumed his position. Ambassador Gor has already expressed strong support for the trade negotiations.
He stated that his primary mission is to elevate US-India relations to a new level. Gor confirmed that a call regarding the bilateral trade deal would take place on Tuesday, though he did not provide specific details at the time.
Positive Assessments from Both Sides
Minister Jaishankar described the conversation as productive in a post on social media platform X. He highlighted the broad agenda covering trade, critical minerals, nuclear cooperation, defense, and energy.
Ambassador Gor also characterized the Jaishankar-Rubio call as positive. He noted they discussed concrete next steps regarding the bilateral trade negotiations, critical minerals, and a potential meeting scheduled for next month.
Jaishankar on BRICS Role
In a separate development on Tuesday, Jaishankar emphasized the continued importance of the BRICS grouping. He stated that amid global geopolitical, economic, and climate uncertainties, BRICS remains a vital platform.
He described it as a forum for meaningful dialogue, practical cooperation, and developing responses to shared challenges. While unveiling the logo for India's upcoming BRICS presidency, Jaishankar outlined India's approach.
India will adopt a humanity-first, people-centric strategy during its leadership of the bloc. The focus will be on addressing common issues that affect member nations and the wider global community.
