External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on September 22 on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York. The leaders engaged in bilateral discussions at Lotte New York Palace, coinciding with India-US talks aimed at an early conclusion of a trade agreement.
Jaishankar arrived in New York on September 20 and is scheduled to hold several bilateral and multilateral meetings, including delivering India’s national statement during the General Debate on September 27. This was the first face-to-face meeting between Jaishankar and Rubio after the Trump administration imposed an additional 25% tariff on India, bringing total levies to 50%. The two had last met in July during the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Washington DC.
On the trade front, a delegation led by Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal is set to meet the US side in New York. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry stated that the discussions aim to finalize a mutually beneficial trade agreement. During the US Trade Representative’s visit to India on September 16, officials reported positive progress on various aspects of the deal, with plans to intensify efforts.
Meanwhile, the $285-billion Indian IT sector faces pressure in its largest outsourcing market following the US decision to increase the H-1B visa fee to $100,000 (≈ ₹88 lakh). Nasscom warned that this could disrupt business continuity for onshore projects, as India accounted for 71% of approved H-1B visa beneficiaries last year. The US administration justified the hike as a measure to curb overuse of the program and ensure employment for highly skilled domestic workers. Several major IT companies and banks have asked employees to remain in the US or return quickly in response to the change.
