iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-

India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reached New York for a three-day official visit from February 2 to February 4 and is scheduled to meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Tuesday, February 3.

The talks are expected to focus on cooperation in critical minerals and other key areas of the bilateral relationship.

The visit comes a day after President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke by phone. Following the call, Trump announced a trade deal with India, adding momentum to high-level engagement between the two sides.

Jaishankar’s schedule includes participation in the Critical Minerals Ministerial convened by Rubio, which will bring together partner countries to discuss supply chain resilience and strategic cooperation. The minister is expected to travel from New York to Washington during the visit. He is likely to attend the ministerial on Wednesday, February 4. Vice President JD Vance is expected to address the conference.

The bilateral discussions are expected to cover a wide range of regional and global issues, including the war in Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, and expanding economic and strategic cooperation between India and the United States.

In a post on X, Jaishankar welcomed the announcements on bilateral trade following the Modi-Trump conversation. “This will create more jobs, spur growth and promote innovation in both economies. It will strengthen ‘Make in India’ endeavors and encourage trusted technology ties. The opportunities in our economic engagement are truly vast and we are confident of realizing them,” he said. “A robust economic relationship is the strongest foundation for our strategic partnership,” the EAM wrote.

In addition to the ministerial, Jaishankar will meet senior members of the U.S. administration, though details of those meetings were not disclosed. The U.S. State Department said the United States would welcome delegations to advance joint efforts on critical minerals. “This historic gathering will create momentum for collaboration to secure these critical components vital to technological innovation, economic strength, and national security,” the department said.

Photo: x.com/DrSJaishankar