EAM Jaishankar Meets Marco Rubio In New York On Sidelines Of UNGA Session Amidst India-US Trade Negotiations

New York: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York. The meeting comes amidst escalating tensions between India and the US over trade tariffs and a major hike in H-1B visa fees imposed by the Trump administration. President Donald Trump had imposed a 50% tariff on India, citing New Delhi's continued purchase of discounted Russian oil, and also raised the fee for H-1B visas to $100,000 for new applicants.

The meeting between Jaishankar and Rubio is their first face-to-face since the trade tensions escalated. Earlier, both leaders met in July during the QUAD Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Washington. The Indian External Affairs Minister arrived in New York on Sunday for the UNGA week, where he will also deliver India's national statement at the General Debate on September 27.

Piyush Goyal Leading Trade Negotiations In The US

Meanwhile, trade negotiations between India and the US are running parallel to the high-profile diplomatic exchanges. A delegation led by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal is in New York to hold discussions with US officials to achieve an early conclusion of a mutually beneficial trade agreement. According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, positive discussions were held during the US Trade Representative officials' visit to India on September 16, and both sides agreed to intensify efforts to close the deal.

The Trump administration's decision to hike the H-1B visa fee to $100,000 for new applicants has drawn criticism from US tech giants and raised concerns among Indian professionals. The Indian government had expressed concerns regarding the humanitarian consequences of the move, hoping that the disruptions caused to families could be suitably addressed by US authorities.

As per a communique from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, "positive discussions were held" during the visit of officials from the Office of the United States Trade Representative to India on September 16. Both sides have agreed to intensify the process towards finalising a deal.

The last meeting between the two leaders took place in Washington in July for the 10th QUAD Foreign Ministers' Meeting, with prior discussions also having been held in January this year. However, the recent bilateral meeting constitutes their first such interaction since trade frictions escalated following Trump's imposition of steep tariffs on Indian goods over India's purchase of Russian oil. Trump recently expressed confidence that arriving at a deal would pose no difficulty.

In related developments, there exists confusion and concern amongst Indians residing in the US regarding H-1B visas. The development follows an executive order signed by Trump imposing a USD 100,000 fee on visas for skilled tech workers. The White House subsequently clarified that this fee applies solely to new applicants and not to current visa holders.

Earlier, during the Senate confirmation hearing for Sergio Gor, Trump's nominee for US Ambassador to India, Rubio characterised India as one of the top relationships that the US has in the world. Rubio, appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to introduce Gor, stressed the crucial role of India in shaping the global future, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.