In Washington D.C., External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met and welcomed the newly agreed trade deal between India and the United States. The two leaders discussed the importance of their democracies working together to unlock new economic opportunities and advance shared energy security goals.

During the meeting, Jaishankar and Rubio discussed a wide range of topics, including trade, energy, nuclear, defence, critical minerals, and technology, all facets of the India-U.S. strategic partnership. They agreed to hold early meetings of various mechanisms to further their shared interests. Jaishankar is currently on a three-day visit to the U.S., participating in the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial on February 4.

The trade deal reached between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump aims to reduce tariffs on Indian goods to 18% from the current 25%. Jaishankar said on X that the deal will create jobs, spur growth, promote innovation in both economies, strengthen "Make in India" endeavors and encourage trusted technology ties.

A key focus of the discussion was formalizing bilateral cooperation regarding the exploration, mining, and processing of critical minerals. Both leaders emphasized the significance of a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region in advancing their shared priorities and committed to strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation through the Quad. The Quad comprises the United States, Australia, Japan, and India.

The U.S. is hosting the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial in Washington D.C., bringing together delegations from over 50 countries to collaborate on securing and diversifying global critical mineral supply chains.