EAM Jaishankar meets US Secretary of state in New York amid H-1B fee hike and tariff tensions

Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on Sep 22.

The meeting comes at a key moment in India-US relations, which are facing friction over recent US measures including a steep H-1B visa fee increase and additional trade tariffs.

During their talks, both sides emphasized the need for “sustained engagement” to address shared challenges and ensure diplomatic and economic cooperation continues despite current disputes.

Jaishankar posted on X that they discussed bilateral and international issues, and that they “agreed on the importance of sustained engagement to progress on priority areas.”

This gathering is their first in-person meeting since the US imposed new trade tariffs on India and announced the raise in H-1B fees — moves that have caused concern in Indian tech, trade, and diplomatic circles. While both sides engaged on multiple topics — including trade, energy, defense and visa policy — there was no immediate resolution of the contentious issues.

US Secretary Rubio described the India-U.S. relationship as of “critical importance” for Washington, emphasizing that cooperation remains essential in multiple policy areas despite the strains. The US view, as presented by Rubio, is that ongoing dialogue is necessary to bridge differences and reaffirm shared goals.

On the Indian side, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal also met US counterparts, attempting to find common ground on trade issues — especially in view of recent US tariff actions and concerns raised by Indian industry over export competitiveness. Nonetheless, trade disagreements remain unresolved, though both sides signaled willingness to continue discussions.

Analysts say these meetings are aimed at managing diplomatic and economic fallout from the H-1B fee hike and tariffs. India’s IT sector, which heavily depends on H-1B visas, saw negative stock market reactions following the visa announcement.

Meanwhile, both governments appear aware that despite disagreements, the strategic importance of their partnership — especially in defense, energy and global security — demands sustained dialogue.