Kuala Lumpur, October 27: Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur, where the two discussed bilateral relations, regional stability and global challenges.
“Glad to meet @SecRubio this morning in Kuala Lumpur. Appreciated the discussion on our bilateral ties as well as regional and global issues,” Jaishankar said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The meeting comes as India and the United States move closer to concluding a long-discussed bilateral trade agreement. An Indian official said the deal was “very near” completion after five rounds of talks covering the first phase of the proposed pact.
The trade discussions are part of broader efforts by New Delhi and Washington to deepen their strategic and economic partnership, which has grown steadily in recent years amid shifting regional dynamics and supply chain realignments.
On Sunday, Jaishankar held a series of separate meetings with regional leaders, including Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, and Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow, to discuss bilateral cooperation and Asean-related priorities.
The 11-member Asean bloc is considered one of Asia’s most influential groupings, bringing together Southeast Asian nations with dialogue partners such as India, the United States, China, Japan, and Australia.
Malaysia, which holds the rotating chairmanship of Asean this year, is hosting the annual summit and related ministerial meetings in Kuala Lumpur, where regional leaders are expected to focus on economic integration, maritime security, and managing great-power competition in the Indo-Pacific.
