External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York on Monday, their first face-to-face interaction since US President Donald Trump announced additional tariffs on India. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
The two leaders had last met in Washington in July during the 10th Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, and they also held discussions earlier in January this year. The latest bilateral talks coincide with ongoing discussions between India and the US aimed at reaching an early trade agreement. On Monday, a delegation led by Union Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal is scheduled to meet the American side in the city.
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India-US tariffs heat
Tensions in the bilateral relationship have grown in recent weeks. The US has imposed tariffs of up to 50 per cent on Indian goods, including a 25 per cent punitive levy linked to New Delhi’s purchases of Russian crude oil.
The Trump administration has also kept quiet on the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia mutual defence treaty, which, according to reports, was signed without Washington’s knowledge, an omission seen as signalling waning US sensitivity to India’s concerns.
Trump hikes H1B visa fees
Adding to the strain, Trump issued a presidential proclamation on Friday titled "Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers,” introducing sweeping changes to the H-1B visa programme. The order imposes a USD 100,000 (about Rs 88 lakh) fee on H-1B applications, effective from 12:01 am on September 21, 2025.
The steep hike, up from the current USD 2,000-5,000 range, has triggered alarm among companies, startups, and immigration lawyers, who warn it could have severe consequences for Indian IT professionals and small businesses. Attorneys have advised H-1B holders and their families currently outside the United States to return before the deadline or risk being stranded.
The fee hike has already raised debate in Washington over whether the move represents a long-overdue correction or a damaging blow to America’s access to global tech talent.
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