External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone conversation on Tuesday, discussing a wide-ranging agenda that included trade negotiations, defence cooperation, critical minerals, nuclear collaboration, and energy security. The exchange, described by both sides as positive, comes after months of relative diplomatic quiet between New Delhi and Washington and amid lingering strains in bilateral relations, particularly over trade and tariff disputes.

The call is being viewed as a tentative but important step toward re-engagement at the highest diplomatic level, as the two countries attempt to stabilise ties that have faced sustained pressure over the past year. While neither side issued a formal, detailed readout of the conversation, statements from senior officials suggested a shared interest in keeping channels open and exploring next steps, including the possibility of an in-person meeting as early as February.

In a post on social media, Jaishankar confirmed the discussion and outlined its broad scope. “Just concluded a good conversation with @SecRubio. Discussed trade, critical minerals, nuclear cooperation, defence and energy,” he said, adding that the two sides had agreed to remain in touch on these and other issues. He did not elaborate on timelines or specific outcomes.

US ambassador-designate to India Sergio Gor, who arrived in New Delhi earlier this week, echoed the positive tone. In his own post, Gor said Rubio had a “positive call” with Jaishankar and that the two leaders had discussed “next steps regarding our bilateral trade negotiations, critical minerals and a possible meeting next month.” His comments have fuelled speculation that Jaishankar and Rubio could meet on the sidelines of an international forum or during a bilateral visit in February, potentially giving fresh momentum to stalled talks.

The timing of the phone call is significant. It came a day after Gor publicly stated that India and the United States remain actively engaged in efforts to conclude a bilateral trade deal and that the “next call on trade” was scheduled for Tuesday. That assertion had raised expectations of renewed diplomatic activity, particularly given the prolonged impasse that has characterised trade negotiations between the two countries.

Despite being strategic partners with deepening defence and security ties, India and the US have struggled to bridge differences on trade for years. These tensions escalated sharply in mid-2025, when US President Donald Trump imposed sweeping 50% tariffs on a range of Indian goods. The measures included an additional 25% penalty linked to India’s purchases of Russian energy, a move that New Delhi viewed as unilateral and punitive.

Since then, trade has become the most contentious issue in the bilateral relationship. Multiple rounds of negotiations have failed to yield a comprehensive trade agreement, and public statements from Washington in recent weeks have added to the friction. Last week, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick claimed that a trade pact could not be finalised in 2025 because Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not call President Trump, suggesting that the Indian side was uncomfortable with the proposed deal. The Indian government swiftly and firmly rejected this claim, calling it inaccurate and misleading.

Against this backdrop, the Jaishankar–Rubio call stands out as a rare high-level engagement after several months in which interactions were limited and often overshadowed by disagreements. Diplomats on both sides have privately acknowledged that while working-level talks continued, the absence of sustained political-level dialogue had contributed to the sense of drift in the relationship.

In his arrival speech in New Delhi on Monday, ambassador-designate Gor struck a conciliatory note, describing India and the US as “real friends” who may disagree but will “always resolve their differences in the end.” He outlined plans to pursue what he termed an ambitious agenda across trade, technology, defence, and supply chain resilience. Gor also admitted that concluding the trade deal would not be easy but stressed that both sides were determined to get there.

One area that could offer common ground is cooperation on critical and emerging technologies. During the call, Jaishankar and Rubio discussed critical minerals, which are increasingly central to global supply chains for clean energy, electric vehicles, and advanced electronics. India has been seeking to diversify its sources of such minerals and reduce dependence on a narrow set of suppliers, while the US has been pushing to build trusted supply chains with strategic partners.

In this context, Gor announced that the US will invite India next month to join Pax Silica, a flagship American initiative aimed at building a secure and resilient global supply chain for semiconductors and artificial intelligence technology. Participation in Pax Silica would align with India’s ambitions to expand its semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem and strengthen its role in the global technology value chain.

Defence and security cooperation also featured prominently in the Jaishankar–Rubio conversation. Despite trade tensions, India–US defence ties have continued to deepen over the years, with regular military exercises, growing defence sales, and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Both sides see strategic convergence in countering regional instability and ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific, even as political frictions complicate other aspects of the relationship.

Nuclear cooperation and energy security were also discussed, reflecting the breadth of the bilateral agenda. India has long sought greater access to advanced nuclear technology and fuel, while energy cooperation has become more complex in the wake of sanctions and geopolitical realignments following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Beyond trade and tariffs, India–US relations have been affected by other developments that have caused unease in New Delhi. Among them are President Trump’s repeated claims that he brokered a ceasefire to end an intense four-day conflict between India and Pakistan in May 2025. Indian officials have categorically rejected these assertions, emphasising that the de-escalation was achieved through direct communication between the two sides.

There is also growing concern in India over Trump’s increasingly warm rhetoric toward Pakistan’s military leadership, particularly Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir. New Delhi has viewed these signals with caution, wary of any shift in Washington’s regional approach that could dilute its strategic partnership with India.

In this complex and often fraught context, the Jaishankar–Rubio call appears to be an effort to steady the relationship and prevent further deterioration. While it did not produce any immediate breakthroughs, the emphasis on staying in touch and exploring a possible meeting suggests recognition on both sides that sustained engagement is essential.

For India, re-engaging the US at a senior level is crucial not only to address trade disputes but also to safeguard broader strategic interests. For Washington, maintaining strong ties with New Delhi remains important as it seeks reliable partners in a rapidly changing global order.

Whether the positive tone of the phone conversation translates into concrete progress will depend on what follows in the coming weeks. A potential meeting in February could provide an opportunity to reset the dialogue, clarify positions, and inject political will into negotiations that have long been stuck.

For now, the call has at least signalled that despite months of strain and sharp public disagreements, New Delhi and Washington are not ready to let their partnership drift further—and that both sides may be willing to try, once again, to bridge their differences.