US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday hinted at a "beneficial" and "sustainable" trade agreement with India during his visit to the country. Speaking at a joint media briefing with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Rubio said, "We've made tremendous progress, and I think we're going to wind up with a trade agreement between the US and India that is going to be enduring and beneficial to both sides and sustainable in a way that addresses national interests." He further added that a US trade delegation will visit India "very soon."
Trade Rebalancing and Global Partners
Rubio pointed out that the US has faced trade issues even with close allies such as the European Union. "The difference is that India is a massive economy. This is a big economy where you're the leading trade partner. We do a lot of trade with India, so there's a big difference between rebalancing trade with a country of this size and magnitude," he said. He emphasized that Washington believes the ongoing trade recalibration will ultimately benefit both the US and its global partners. "The good news is that through this rebalancing, we are ultimately seeking and believe we will arrive at trade arrangements around the world that are good for the United States, but also good for our trade partners," he added.
Trump Administration's Trade Policy
Rubio strongly defended the Trump administration's trade policy, stating it aims to reshape Washington's broader global trade approach rather than targeting any one country. "This is about the United States in terms of trade. The President did not say: 'Let's figure out a way to create friction with India over trade.' The President came in and said: 'We have a trade situation involving the US economy that doesn't work moving forward,'" Rubio said. He added that the administration was trying to address longstanding trade imbalances through a global strategy. "There's a huge imbalance that's built up, and it needs to be addressed. He pursued it from a global perspective," Rubio said.
Wide-Ranging Talks with Jaishankar
Marco Rubio, currently on a four-day visit to India, made the remarks after holding wide-ranging talks with S Jaishankar focused on enhancing cooperation in trade, critical minerals, energy, and defence. Jaishankar raised India's concerns over the Trump administration's visa and immigration policy changes, stressing that legal mobility should not be affected. "People-to-people ties are at the heart of the relationship. I apprised Secretary Rubio of challenges that legitimate travellers face in respect to visa issuance," Jaishankar said after the bilateral talks.
