External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a telephonic discussion with US Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio. The conversation covered bilateral trade negotiations, critical minerals, nuclear energy, and defence.
This comes a day after newly-appointed United States Ambassador Sergio Gor stated that there would be some contact between the two sides on trade.
Jaishankar termed the discussion as a “good conversation” with Rubio, adding that that they had agreed to remain in touch. Following Gor’s conciliatory remarks in Delhi aimed at mending strained ties, Jaishankar and Rubio discussed bilateral trade, critical minerals, defence, nuclear cooperation, energy, and a potential meeting next month.
Although trade negotiations remain a key focus, other issues including critical minerals, defence, energy, and nuclear cooperation remain significant for strengthening the partnership between Washington and Delhi.
It remains uncertain whether Rubio and Jaishankar will meet during a bilateral visit or on the sidelines of a multilateral event, including the AI Impact Summit in Delhi next month.
After the discussion, Jaishankar called it a “good conversation,” while Gor described it as a “positive call.”
In a post on X, Jaishankar wrote,“Just concluded a good conversation with @SecRubio. Discussed trade, critical minerals, nuclear cooperation, defence and energy. Agreed to remain in touch on these and other issues.”
Minutes later, Gor post on X,“A quick update: @SecRubio just concluded a positive call with @DrSJaishankar. They discussed next steps regarding our bilateral trade negotiations, critical minerals, and a possible meeting next month.”
US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said,“Secretary Rubio spoke today with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, exchanging best wishes for the New Year.”
A day earlier, Gor announced that India will be invited to join Pax Silica, a US-led strategic initiative aimed at securing critical supply chains spanning silicon, advanced manufacturing, and artificial intelligence.
Gor, who recently arrived in New Delhi, emphasised continued engagement between the two sides.
“Real friends can disagree but always resolve their differences,” he said, adding that “both sides continue to be actively engaged.”
Gor said,“We are determined to get a trade deal,” and indicated that talks would continue without pause.
“The next round of calls on trade will happen tomorrow.”
In a significant strategic signal, Gor highlighted India’s inclusion in Pax Silica, describing it as a key US-led initiative spanning the entire high-technology ecosystem:
“Pax Silica is a US-led strategic initiative, from critical minerals to advanced manufacturing.”
