Jaishankar to meet US Secretary Rubio at UNGA to boost India-US ties, discuss trade, and H-1B visa fee concerns. Photo: White House.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is scheduled to meet United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York today. The high-level meeting will take place on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly session, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Officials said the discussion is aimed at advancing the recent improvement in India-US ties.
“This meeting will continue the efforts to strengthen relations between the two countries and bridge the divides that emerged in recent months,” the sources added.
Jaishankar and Rubio last met in Washington in early July, and prior to that in January this year. However, today’s meeting will mark their first in-person interaction since tensions arose between India and the US over trade tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.
Trump had imposed a 50 percent tariff on Indian imports, including an additional 25 percent duty, citing India’s purchase of Russian oil. Since then, bilateral relations have improved following a diplomatic turnaround. Both countries have resumed stalled trade talks, with Trump expressing confidence that reaching an agreement would pose “no difficulty.”
The meeting also coincides with a delegation led by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, which is engaging in trade talks with the US on Monday. According to the Commerce Ministry, “The delegation plans to take forward the discussions with a view to achieve early conclusion of a mutually beneficial trade agreement.”
The discussions between Jaishankar and Rubio come amid concerns over the Trump administration’s recent hike in the H-1B visa fee. New applications will now require a $100,000 fee, following a proclamation signed by Trump. The announcement sparked immediate concern among tech companies and employees.
The White House later clarified that the fee is a one-time charge and applies only to new petitions, exempting current visa holders from the levy.
Also Read: US again clarifies Trump’s H-1B proclamation, says existing visa holders not impacted
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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