S. Jaishankar meets US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Atlanta

India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held an important meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Atlanta. Held on Saturday under the framework of the G20 Foreign Ministers' meeting, both leaders reviewed the bilateral cooperation between India and the US. During this meeting, both leaders also shared views on their recent discussions.

According to a report by Hindustan Times, S. Jaishankar shared details of this meeting on the social media platform X, stating that he appreciated the hospitality extended by Marco Rubio for the G20 Foreign Ministers' meeting in Atlanta and took stock of the bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

This meeting comes at a time when Marco Rubio recently visited India on an official visit from 20 to 22 October. During that visit, he held talks with S. Jaishankar and discussed the proposed India-US trade deal. Rubio had previously stated that India and the US are very close to finalising the trade deal and only a few matters remain. After arriving in Mumbai on 20 October, he met Jaishankar and completed his three-day official visit on 22 October.

Clarifying regarding relations with India, Rubio stated that America's relations with Pakistan or any other country would never be at the expense of its relations with India. In an interview with 'The Indian Express', when asked if a situation similar to the 1970s is recurring—when then-US President Richard Nixon and his National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger were leaning towards Pakistan—Rubio replied that India should be assured that America's relations with Pakistan or any other country in the world will never come at the expense of our relations with India. He added that they do not view America's relations in that way with India. He cited his visit to India and America's commitment to the trade deal as evidence of these relations.

During the G20 Foreign Ministers' meeting in Atlanta, S. Jaishankar also held several bilateral meetings with Foreign Ministers of other countries. In a meeting with European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, Jaishankar discussed the Ukraine conflict and the situation in Gaza. Jaishankar stated on X that they discussed these topics.

Jaishankar also met with Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and expressed pleasure at the conversation. In a meeting with Brazil's Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, both sides discussed bilateral relations and global issues. The main objective of the meeting with Mexico's Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco Alvarez was to strengthen bilateral relations and give new momentum to the partnership.

In a meeting with Canada's Foreign Minister Anita Anand, Jaishankar reviewed the progress of bilateral cooperation and assessed the steady development of cooperation. In a meeting with Argentina's Foreign Minister Pablo Cavierno, detailed discussions were held on trade, critical minerals, defence and nuclear cooperation, as well as multilateral issues.

Jaishankar's schedule also included dialogues with US diplomats stationed in India and Indian diplomats in America, reflecting active diplomatic channels. The objective of all these meetings was to review existing partnerships, identify areas for further cooperation, and exchange views on important international developments. According to a report by The Times of India, this visit was very productive in finding ways to enhance bilateral relations.