Kuala Lumpur External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday held talks with his American counterpart Marco Rubio amid efforts by the two sides to reset bilateral ties that have come under severe strain over punitive US tariffs on Indian goods.
Jaishankar and Rubio met in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines of the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
“Glad to meet @SecRubio this morning in Kuala Lumpur. Appreciated the discussion on our bilateral ties as well as regional and global issues,” the external affairs minister said in a post on X.
The high-level interaction comes at a time when trade negotiations between India and the United States are ongoing, adding diplomatic weight to the broader economic dialogue between the two nations.
In August, US President Donald Trump slapped a 50% tariff on Indian exports, including a 25% penalty for New Delhi’s continuous purchase of discounted Russian crude oil. This move strained the trade relations between the two countries, which are now seeking to resolve the dispute.
The Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal earlier stressed that India would not enter into any trade agreement “in haste” or accept restrictive conditions from trade partners that could limit the nation’s “trading choices.” These comments reflected New Delhi’s cautious approach while trade discussions between New Delhi and Washington continue to advance, ANI reported.
Piyush Goyal said trade deals must focus on building “trust, long-term ties, and creating sustainable frameworks for global business cooperation,” extending beyond “tariffs or market access.” He also emphasised that India’s trade strategy with the US aligns with its long-term economic goals, ANI reported.
