External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Kuala Lumpur on Monday as both nations tried to ease tensions over American tariffs on Indian goods. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit.
Jaishankar said on social media that he appreciated their “discussion on bilateral ties, as well as regional and global issues.” Relations between India and the US have been strained since President Donald Trump imposed 50% tariffs on Indian exports, along with an extra 25% duty linked to India’s purchase of Russian crude oil. India called the move “unfair and unjustified.”
Sources said Jaishankar and Rubio discussed a possible trade pact, though the US has not yet promised to lift the 25% energy-related tariff. Recently, Trump claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to stop buying Russian oil — a claim India denied.
The Ministry of External Affairs clarified that India is diversifying its energy sources to ensure price stability and secure supply. Rubio later said India’s plan to broaden its oil imports could benefit both sides, as the US recently sanctioned Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil.
