Dialogue, uninterrupted maritime trade: Jaishankar outlines India’s 5-point stand during talks with Rubio

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Sunday, May 24, 2026, outlined India’s five-point approach on key regional and global issues, emphasizing that New Delhi advocates dialogue and diplomacy for conflict resolution, supports uninterrupted maritime trade and strongly opposes weaponization of trade and resources.

Addressing a joint press conference with External Affairs Minister Marco Rubio after delegation-level talks at Hyderabad House, Mr. Jaishankar said India and the US continue to maintain regular engagement and strategic coordination across a wide range of sectors.

Marco Rubio LIVE updates on India

“This is the Minister’s first visit to India, but we have been in regular contact since assuming office. These include events in Washington, DC and New York, among other events, most recently in France. We have had constant interaction that has facilitated us in overseeing broad-based and growing cooperation between our two nations,” Mr. Jaishankar said.

Underlining the political understanding between New Delhi and Washington, the Foreign Minister said that the India-US strategic partnership is built on the convergence of interests in various areas of mutual importance.

“In terms of political understanding between India and the US, we have a strategic partnership resulting from the convergence of national interests in many areas,” he said.

New Delhi remains committed to diplomacy

Outlining India’s broad position on important regional and global issues, Mr. Jaishankar said New Delhi remains committed to diplomacy, lawful conduct, economic resilience and reliable global partnerships.

“First, we advocate dialogue and diplomacy to resolve conflicts. Second, we support safe and unhindered maritime trade. Third, we demand scrupulous respect for international law. Fourth, we oppose the weaponization of market shares and resources. And fifth, we believe in the value of reliable partnerships and resilient supply chains to de-risk the global economy,” the Foreign Minister said.

Mr. Jaishankar also noted that Rubio called Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, during which the leaders discussed a number of global and regional developments.

He said that during his meeting with Rubio, discussions were held regarding developments in West Asia, the Indian Subcontinent and East Asia, as well as his recent visit to the Caribbean region.

“Our talks at lunch today will focus on the latest developments in the Gulf. A few things have happened or are likely to happen during the night, including the Ukraine conflict. The Indo-Pacific is also on the agenda of our Quad meeting on May 26,” he said.

On defense and strategic cooperation

On defense and strategic cooperation, Mr. Jaishankar touched upon the recently renewed 10-year major defense partnership framework agreement between India and the US. He also underlined that a comprehensive underwater area awareness road map was signed.

“We discussed the ‘Make in India’ approach and the importance of taking into account lessons learned from recent conflicts as we move forward in defence,” he added.

Speaking about economic cooperation, the Foreign Minister said that both countries discussed the importance of early conclusion of the India-US interim trade agreement, which is expected to pave the way for a larger bilateral trade agreement.

“In the economic sphere, we talked about the value of finalizing at an early date the final text of the interim agreement on mutual and mutually beneficial trade. This will be an important step towards a comprehensive bilateral trade agreement envisaged during Prime Minister Modi’s visit in February 2025.”

The Foreign Minister also said that energy security and nuclear cooperation featured prominently in the talks between the two sides.

“We spent some time today discussing energy issues, and again, you all recognize that our government’s primary responsibility is to meet the needs of 1.4 billion people. Ensuring the availability and affordability of energy for them is our primary objective. The Minister and I therefore welcome the expansion in our energy trade in recent months. Supply diversification is at the heart of energy security for India,” Mr. Jaishankar said.

He also stated that the adoption of the Shanti Law creates new opportunities in nuclear cooperation between the two countries.

“We also devoted some time to nuclear energy cooperation. The passage of the Shanti Act opened up new possibilities. An American delegation was in India recently. We hope to realize the potential for cooperation in the nuclear field. I also discussed with the Secretary some regulatory issues that we have on the US side,” he added.

Jaishankar says India-US bilateral cooperation in quadrilateral format

Mr. Jaishankar also highlighted cooperation between India and the US in emerging technologies, critical minerals and artificial intelligence.

“You all know the importance of critical minerals. Our two nations are cooperating bilaterally in the Quad format and as a like-minded group. India has joined Pax Silica and is part of the Forge initiative. The AI ​​Impact Summit held in New Delhi in February highlighted the immense potential of the India-US relationship. And naturally, we will encourage our businesses engaged in AI,” he said.

The Foreign Secretary also underlined that India and the United States not only share common interests but also face many common challenges, and terrorism remains a major concern.

“Our position on this issue is very clear. It is zero tolerance. We appreciate the strong cooperation between the relevant institutions of our two countries in this field. I especially appreciated the extradition of one of the key planners of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks from the US to India last year. The two countries will intensify cooperation both in bilateral relations and in relevant international forums. We will continue to cooperate closely in the fight against the illegal narcotics trade,” Mr. Jaishankar said.

Rubio: India-US relations have not lost momentum

Relations between India and the US have not lost momentum, External Affairs Minister Marco Rubio said on Sunday after high-level talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

“India-US relations have not lost momentum… India-US relations will become much stronger in the coming years,” said Mr. Rubio, who is currently in New Delhi. He also said that the United States hopes that the long-pending trade agreement between the two countries will be signed soon, adding that both sides are “strategically aligned” on almost all important global issues.

An announcement may be made later on Sunday.

Mr. Rubio also said an announcement was possible on Sunday, May 24, 2026, on a deal with Iran that could formally end the West Asian war.

“I think there’s a chance the world will get good news, perhaps in the next few hours,” Mr. Rubio told reporters in New Delhi.

Rubio, who made his first visit to India, said that the resulting agreement will address the US’s concerns regarding the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has largely blocked in response to the US-Israeli attack.

The deal would also “start a process that could ultimately put us where the president wants us, and that is a world that no longer has to fear or worry about an Iranian nuclear weapon,” he added.

Trump’s remarks came after President Donald Trump said that the proposal, which includes opening the Strait of Hormuz, was “substantially negotiated.”