iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
India on Thursday, February 5, firmly pushed back against a media report that suggested behind-the-scenes diplomatic contacts with Washington amid ongoing trade negotiations, calling the claim completely baseless and factually incorrect.
Responding to a Bloomberg report, the Ministry of External Affairs said no meeting ever took place between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as had been alleged.
The report had also claimed that New Delhi conveyed it was willing to wait until the end of U.S. President Donald Trump’s term to finalize a trade deal.
“There is absolutely no basis for that report. No such meeting or no such visit has taken place,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a weekly media briefing in New Delhi.
The clarification came on a day when External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar struck an upbeat tone on India–U.S. ties, saying negotiations on a landmark trade agreement were nearing completion and that engagement between the two countries was gaining pace.
Earlier, as he wrapped up his February 2–4 visit to the United States, Jaishankar said the two sides were close to finalizing details of what he described as a historic trade deal. The visit included his participation in the Critical Minerals Ministerial convened by Secretary Rubio in Washington.
“Concluded a productive and positive visit to the US. Thank Secretary Rubio for his warm hospitality,” Jaishankar wrote on X.
“The historic India-US trade deal is in the final stages of detailing that will be completed very soon. It opens up a new phase in our bilateral ties, with vast possibilities for the relationship. Our critical mineral cooperation is also advancing rapidly. Expect engagement on strategic issues, defence and energy in the coming days. Overall, a strong momentum is evident,” he added.
During the visit, Jaishankar held a series of high-level meetings with senior members of the U.S. administration, including separate talks with Secretary Rubio and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The discussions covered a wide range of strategic, economic, and regional issues.
“Delighted to meet US Secretary Rubio this afternoon,” Jaishankar said in another post on X. “A wide-ranging conversation that covered our bilateral cooperation agenda, regional and global issues.”
He said the talks with Rubio spanned multiple pillars of the partnership. “Facets of India – US Strategic Partnership discussed included trade, energy, nuclear, defence, critical minerals and technology,” Jaishankar noted, adding that both sides agreed to move quickly on follow-up engagements. “Agreed on the early meetings of various mechanisms to advance our shared interests,” he said.
According to a U.S. State Department readout, the two leaders discussed formalizing cooperation on critical minerals exploration, mining, and processing, an area that has become central to the India–U.S. economic and strategic relationship.
The meeting followed an announcement earlier in the week by President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of a trade deal aimed at lowering barriers and expanding market access between the two democracies. Rubio and Jaishankar welcomed the agreement, stressing its importance for unlocking economic opportunities and strengthening shared energy security.
Their talks also touched on regional and multilateral cooperation, including the Indo-Pacific. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to expanding engagement through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, underlining the importance of a stable and prosperous region.
Photo: Screengrab