Jaishankar, Rubio back Quad ties, welcome India-US trade deal ahead of critical minerals meet

India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met on Tuesday and agreed to deepen cooperation at both bilateral and multilateral levels through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), while also welcoming the recently announced India–US trade deal under which Washington lowered tariffs on Indian goods to 18 percent.

The two leaders met ahead of the
Critical Minerals Ministerial, with discussions focusing on expanding collaboration across strategic and economic areas. According to a readout issued by US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott, Jaishankar and Rubio explored ways to formalise cooperation on critical minerals exploration, mining and processing, and underlined the importance of closer coordination between the two democracies.

“The Secretary and External Affairs Minister discussed formalising bilateral cooperation on critical minerals exploration, mining, and processing. Secretary Rubio and Minister Jaishankar
welcomed the trade deal reached between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi. The two leaders emphasized the importance of our democracies working together to unlock new economic opportunities and advance our shared energy security goals,” the readout said.

Both sides also stressed the strategic importance of the Indo-Pacific, agreeing that stability and prosperity in the region are central to advancing shared interests.

“Secretary Rubio and Minister Jaishankar concluded their meeting by expressing their commitment to expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation through the Quad. They acknowledged that a prosperous Indo-Pacific region remains vital to advancing our shared interests,” the readout added.

US Department of State says, “… Secretary Rubio and Minister Jaishankar welcomed the trade deal reached between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi… Secretary Rubio and Minister Jaishankar concluded their meeting by expressing their commitment to expanding bilateral and… https://t.co/liG7WUKZn7 pic.twitter.com/c7AdcBC9Ax

— ANI (@ANI) February 3, 2026

What’s on EAM Jaishankar’s agenda?

Jaishankar’s meeting with Rubio took place during his ongoing three-day visit to the United States, during which he is also participating in the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial on February 4. The United States is hosting the ministerial in Washington, DC, with delegations from more than 50 countries expected to attend. The gathering aims to strengthen cooperation on securing and diversifying
global supply chains for critical minerals, according to an earlier notice from the US State Department.

After the meeting, Jaishankar said on X that he was “delighted” to meet Rubio and described their exchange as wide-ranging.

“Delighted to meet US Secretary Rubio this afternoon. A wide-ranging conversation covered our bilateral cooperation agenda, regional and global issues. Facets of India-US Strategic Partnership discussed included trade, energy, nuclear, defence, critical minerals, and technology. Agreed on early meetings of various mechanisms to advance our shared interests,” he wrote.

Rubio also shared details of the meeting on X, saying, “Met with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar to discuss our bilateral cooperation on critical minerals exploration and work together to unlock new economic opportunities between our two countries. We also commended the trade deal between the United States and India.”