US Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Pasay, Metro Manila on July 22, 2026. Photo: Reuters
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday agreed on the importance of finalising the “almost complete” interim trade deal between the two countries during a meeting in Manila, the US State Department said.
According to State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott, Rubio and Jaishankar also discussed recent developments in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific.
The meeting took place in Manila, where the two sides reviewed progress on bilateral cooperation and discussed defence and trade-related issues.
Read: Trump likely to visit India early next year, Rubio says
“The secretary and minister Jaishankar discussed finalising key defence agreements in fulfilment of commitments made between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi last year,” Pigott said in a statement.
He said the two leaders also “agreed on the importance of finalising the interim trade deal, which is almost complete”.
The two leaders met on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in the capital of the Philippines.
“Our meeting focused on areas which are a priority for the India-US comprehensive global strategic partnership, including trade & tariffs, energy, defence & security, critical minerals & artificial intelligence,” Jaishankar wrote on X.
Pleased to meet @SecRubio of the USA here in Manila.
Our meeting focused on areas which are priority for the 🇮🇳🇺🇸 Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, including trade & tariffs, energy, defence & security, critical minerals & artificial intelligence.
We also exchanged… pic.twitter.com/dCc9YpQAEp
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) July 22, 2026
He said the two diplomats also “exchanged quick perspectives on regional, global and multilateral issues of mutual interest”.
In another post, Jaishankar said he attended the Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting, where the participants reviewed the Indo-Pacific landscape and discussed recent developments.
Glad to participate in the Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting in Manila.
Reviewed the Indo-Pacific landscape and discussed recent developments. Followed up on the outcomes of the recent New Delhi meeting.
Committed to a free and open Indo-Pacific with a recognition of ASEAN… pic.twitter.com/p7EqFHu4c6
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) July 22, 2026
The Quad, which brings together the US, India, Australia and Japan, has increasingly focused on promoting security, economic cooperation and a rules-based order across the Indo-Pacific.
Rubio also met Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in Manila on Tuesday, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.
The two discussed the US-Iran war, with Motegi stressing the need for swift de-escalation and free and safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz without additional costs.
They also discussed the situation in the Indo-Pacific region.
