Indiaus Trade Talk: Jaishankar Meets Marco Rubio At UNGA Amid Tensions Over H-1B Visa Fee

During a meeting in New York, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed that India is a critically important relationship for the United States. He conveyed "appreciation" to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for New Delhi's ongoing involvement in bilateral matters, including trade, defense, and energy.

S Jaishankar met Marco Rubio for bilateral discussions on the sidelines of the high-level 80th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on Monday. 

In a post on social media platform X, Secretary Rubio stated that the meeting focused on various aspects of the bilateral partnership aimed at "enhancing prosperity for both nations."

"Met with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at UNGA. We discussed key areas of our bilateral relationship, including trade, energy, pharmaceuticals, and critical minerals and more to generate prosperity for India and the United States," Rubio posted on X.

In a social media statement, Jaishankar emphasized that his conversation with a counterpart addressed various pressing bilateral and international issues. Both parties acknowledged the importance of ongoing engagement to advance progress in key areas.

This comes on the heels of an executive order from US President Donald Trump last week, imposing a massive H1-B visa fee hike. The new executive order mandates a $100,000 fee for each new H-1B visa application. This would be a one-time charge for new applicants only, not annual, and does not apply to renewals or existing visa holders.

Earlier this month, both countries signaled a strong intent to keep diplomatic lines open. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is leading talks in Washington aimed at a possible bilateral trade agreement soon. 

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