EAM Jaishankar meets US, Russian counterparts; trade and seafarers' safety discussed
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held separate meetings with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Manila, covering trade, defence, and the safety of Indian seafarers.
During his meeting with Mr. Rubio, the two leaders focused on advancing the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. According to a US readout, they agreed on the importance of finalising an interim trade deal, described as 'almost complete'. They also discussed finalising key defence agreements to fulfil commitments made between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mr. Rubio posted on X that 'our relationship with India is vitally important'. The US ambassador to India indicated that Mr. Rubio may visit India later this year. Mr. Jaishankar stated that the meeting covered priority areas for bilateral cooperation, including trade, tariffs, and the critical minerals partnership.
In his meeting with Mr. Lavrov, Mr. Jaishankar reiterated India's strong concerns about the safety of Indian seafarers, particularly in conflict zones. The two also discussed bilateral trade, energy cooperation, and scientific collaboration. The meeting reflected India's continued engagement with Russia amid its ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
