Amid the ongoing tensions in relations with the United States on a plethora of issues, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met US Senator Steve Daines on Sunday and discussed bilateral ties.
Later, Jaishankar wrote in a social post on X, “A pleasure meeting Senator Steve Daines this morning in Delhi. A wide ranging and open discussion on our bilateral relationship and its strategic significance.”
The meeting came even as the two countries were trying to resolve differences over key issues in the proposed trade deal that they have been negotiating since February last year.
The bilateral relationship between the two countries is currently undergoing a bad phase, primarily because of the punitive tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on Indian imports for purchasing Russian oil.
On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke over the phone with Jaishankar, reviewing key areas of cooperation, including civil nuclear energy, trade talks, and regional security in the Indo-Pacific.
“Discussed trade, critical minerals, nuclear cooperation, defence, and energy. Agreed to remain in touch on these and other issues,” EAM Jaishankar wrote on X after the call.
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor described it as a positive call.
“They discussed next steps regarding our bilateral trade negotiations, critical minerals, and a possible meeting next month,” Gor wrote on X.
During the call, Rubio congratulated India on enacting the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India bill, a recent law that is part of India’s nuclear energy framework, Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.