Jaishankar meets Rubio, discusses trade and global issues on G7 sidelines

Niagara [Canada], November 12 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Niagara on Wednesday.

In a post on X, Jaishankar said, "Good to meet @SecRubio this morning at #G7 FMM. Appreciate his condolences on the loss of lives in the blast in Delhi."

He said the two leaders discussed a range of issues related to bilateral relations. "Discussed our bilateral ties, focusing on trade and supply chains," he wrote.

Jaishankar added that they also exchanged views on key global developments. "Exchanged views on the Ukraine conflict, the Middle East/West Asia situation and Indo-Pacific," he said.

The meeting with Rubio was part of a series of high-level diplomatic engagements held by Jaishankar during the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

On Tuesday, he met his counterparts from Canada, Mexico, France, Brazil, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Germany, further advancing India's diplomatic outreach at the multilateral forum.

India is attending the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting as an invited partner under Canada's presidency, alongside countries such as Brazil, Australia, and South Korea.

The discussions underscore India's active role in global diplomacy and its engagement on key issues including trade, security, and development.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Ministry of External Affairs said Jaishankar's participation highlights India's "continued commitment" to working with global partners.

"EAM's participation in the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting reflects India's continued commitment to working with international partners in addressing global challenges and bolstering the voice of the Global South in international fora," the MEA stated.

The meeting between Jaishankar and Rubio also comes at a time when India and the United States are engaged in ongoing trade negotiations.

US President Donald Trump recently said that both countries are close to finalising a new trade agreement.

"We are making a deal with India, a much different deal than we had in the past. We're getting a fair deal, just a fair trade deal. We're getting close... I think we're pretty close to doing a deal that's good for everybody," Trump said during the swearing-in ceremony of Sergio Gor as the new US ambassador to India.

Jaishankar and Secretary Rubio had previously met a month earlier, marking their first interaction since President Trump announced a 50 per cent tariff on Indian imports. The issue has remained central to ongoing trade discussions between the two nations. (ANI)

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