NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Kuala Lumpur on Monday on the sidelines of the ASEAN and East Asia Summits, marking their second meeting in just over a month, and fourth this year.
The two leaders are learnt to have discussed a host of bilateral and regional issues, including the ongoing trade talks.
Jaishankar wrote on X: “Glad to meet @SecRubio this morning in Kuala Lumpur. Appreciated the discussion on our bilateral ties as well as regional and global issues.”
The meeting took place against a complex diplomatic backdrop marked by tariff disputes, ongoing trade negotiations, and Washington’s renewed outreach to Pakistan.
In recent times, India and the US have been grappling with friction over tariff barriers and sanctions over Russian oil import. While both sides have expressed commitment to resolving outstanding issues through dialogue, differences persist over a host of issues.
Speaking to reporters en route to Doha, Rubio had insisted that Washington’s engagement with Islamabad would not come at the expense of its ties with New Delhi, but added that the US sought to expand cooperation with Pakistan beyond counter-terrorism.
Jaishankar and Rubio last met in New York during the UN General Assembly, where talks covered trade, defence, technology, and regional stability.
Their Kuala Lumpur meeting comes amid India’s careful balancing of its strategic autonomy with efforts to strengthen ties with major powers.
Washington’s renewed warmth towards Islamabad has not gone unnoticed in New Delhi. In June, Trump hosted Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir -- the first such meeting between a serving Pakistani general and a US president in recent times.
Trump claimed credit for mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan following hostilities triggered by India’s Operation Sindoor after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, a claim that India has consistently denied.
On the sidelines, Jaishankar also met several counterparts, including Malaysia’s Mohamad Haji Hasan, Japan’s Motegi Toshimitsu, and Vietnam’s Le Hoai Trung, focusing on regional security, trade, and Indo-Pacific cooperation.
Jaishankar held wide-ranging discussions on bilateral ties and exchanged perspectives on the global situation and Indo-Pacific cooperation with his Japanese counterpart.
