5 Feb : India and the United States have taken their landmark trade agreement to the final stage of detailing, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday. He described the process as nearing completion and pointed to strong momentum in bilateral engagement.
Jaishankar made the remarks while concluding his February 2-4 visit to the United States.
During the trip, he participated in the Critical Minerals Ministerial convened by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
In a post on X, Jaishankar said he concluded a productive and positive visit. He thanked Secretary Rubio for his warm hospitality.
Jaishankar added that the historic trade deal would soon enter a new phase of bilateral relations. He said the agreement carries vast potential for future cooperation.
The minister underlined rapid progress in critical minerals collaboration. He said both countries would soon intensify engagement on strategic matters, defence cooperation, and energy security.
He stressed that overall engagement between New Delhi and Washington shows clear forward momentum.
During the visit, Jaishankar held meetings with senior members of the US administration. These included separate discussions with Secretary Rubio and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
The talks covered strategic, economic, and global issues.
After meeting Rubio, Jaishankar said the discussion addressed bilateral cooperation as well as regional and international developments.
He noted that both sides reviewed key pillars of the strategic partnership. These included trade, energy, nuclear cooperation, defence, critical minerals, and technology.
He said both governments agreed to accelerate follow-up engagements. They decided to convene early meetings of various bilateral mechanisms to advance shared interests.
According to a US State Department readout, the two ministers discussed formalising cooperation on critical minerals exploration, mining, and processing.
This area has emerged as a core element of the India-US economic and strategic relationship.
The meeting followed an announcement by US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a trade agreement.
The pact aims to reduce barriers and expand market access between the two democracies.
Rubio and Jaishankar welcomed the agreement. They highlighted its role in unlocking economic opportunities and strengthening shared energy security goals.
The discussions also addressed regional and multilateral cooperation. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue.
They agreed that a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific remains essential to shared strategic objectives.
Jaishankar also met Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington. He described the talks as constructive and focused on advancing economic partnership and strategic coordination.
The engagements reflected the expanding scope of India-US ties.
Cooperation now spans diplomacy, security, trade, finance, energy, and advanced technologies.
Both sides continue to view the partnership as a central pillar of their foreign policy strategies.
