Jaishankar To Meet U.S. Secretary Rubio Amid H-1B Fee, India-U.S. Tariff Tensions

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is scheduled to meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York on Monday for high-level bilateral discussions, coinciding with the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The meeting comes in the aftermath of President Donald Trump's recent decision to impose a $100,000 fee on H-1B visas and a 25% tariff on Indian oil imports, bringing total U.S. levies on India to 50% under the Trump administration. According to the U.S. State Department's schedule, Rubio and Jaishankar will meet Monday morning in New York City.

Key Agenda for the Meeting

This will be the first face-to-face interaction between Rubio and Jaishankar since Trump's trade and visa measures. The last meeting between the two diplomats took place in July in Washington, D.C., during the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

The bilateral discussion coincides with broader India-U.S. engagements aimed at achieving an early conclusion of a trade agreement. A delegation led by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will also hold talks with U.S. officials on Monday in New York.

"The delegation plans to take forward the discussions with a view to achieving early conclusion of a mutually beneficial Trade Agreement," the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a statement. The statement added that following the visit of U.S. Trade Representative officials to India on September 16, positive discussions were held on various aspects of the trade deal, and both sides agreed to intensify efforts for an early conclusion.

Jaishankar's UNGA Week Schedule

Jaishankar arrived in New York on Sunday to begin his UNGA engagements, starting with a bilateral meeting with Philippines Secretary of Foreign Affairs Theresa P. Lazaro. "We followed up on the recent State Visit of President @bongbongmarcos to India. Also discussed our cooperation in the UN and the Indo-Pacific region," Jaishankar noted on X.

Lazaro described the meeting as a pleasure, highlighting the ongoing commitment of both countries as Strategic Partners. "Our discussion today reaffirms our two countries' commitment as Strategic Partners to actively develop cooperation in political, defence and security, the maritime domain, etc.," she said.

During the week, Jaishankar is expected to hold multiple bilateral and multilateral meetings on the sidelines of UNGA. He will also deliver India's national statement at the General Debate on September 27 from the iconic green UNGA podium.