Indian, US top diplomats discuss tariffs, energy, defense

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks on Wednesday to discuss tariffs, energy and defense.

They met on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Manila, 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, defense & security, critical minerals & artificial intelligence," Jaishankar wrote on the US social media company X.

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.

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.