In the midst of the tariff and H-1B fee hike controversy, Jaishankar meets Rubio and Goyal visits Greer in New York City. What does it signify for US-India relations?

A variety of bilateral and global problems of "current concern" were discussed during Monday's meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.This is their first in-person meeting since President Donald Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on India for Delhi's purchases of Russian oil, bringing the total levies imposed on India to 50 percent. The meeting took place at Lotte New York Palace on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly.In a statement released by the US Department of State, Rubio was quoted as saying, "Secretary Rubio reiterated that India is a relationship of critical importance to the United States and expressed his appreciation for the Indian government's continued engagement on a number of issues including trade, defense, energy, pharmaceuticals, critical minerals, and other items related to the bilateral relationship.

"The last time the two leaders met was during the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting in July in Washington, DC. The day of their meeting coincides with talks between the US and India to reach an early trade accord completion.Days after the Trump administration decided to increase the cost of H-1B visas, Jaishankar met with Rubio. Trump's unexpected $100,000 (about ₹90 lakh) increase in the H-1B visa price caused a panic, putting tech companies like Microsoft and Meta on edge. The White House emphasized on September 20 that the $100,000 price is not an annual fee and would not be applied to current visa holders who are returning to the country.