India-US Trade Agreement Praised by Jaishankar, Rubio Amid Scrutiny

WASHINGTON – India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Tuesday. The talks followed the announcement of a new India-US trade agreement, amid growing domestic pressure in India to disclose full details. Officials said both sides welcomed the deal and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral ties.

The discussions focused on trade, energy, defence, nuclear cooperation, and developments in the Indo-Pacific region. Leaders also emphasized cooperation in critical minerals, essential for clean energy technologies, batteries, and advanced manufacturing. Jaishankar described the meeting as wide-ranging, covering shared strategic and economic interests in the region.

US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation through the Quad. They highlighted the importance of a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Discussions also explored unlocking new economic opportunities and advancing shared energy security goals between the two countries.

Read more : India to Import $500B US Petroleum, Defence, Technology

Under the trade deal framework, the United States will reduce tariffs on Indian goods from 25 percent to 18 percent. In return, India will lower trade barriers for American exports, especially in the energy sector. Reuters reported that key agricultural commodities such as rice, beef, soybeans, sugar, and dairy are excluded from the agreement.

However, the deal faces criticism in India. Opposition parties demand that Parliament be briefed before implementation. Indian officials said the agreement includes multi-year commitments to purchase up to $500 billion worth of American goods, including petroleum, aircraft, defence equipment, telecommunications, and pharmaceuticals. The deal is expected to boost bilateral trade and strategic cooperation.