Rubio and Jaishankar Advance India-US Trade Deal in Manila

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met in Manila on July 22, 2026, to advance the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. The leaders reviewed defense cooperation and discussed priorities including energy, critical minerals, and artificial intelligence on the sidelines of the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting and ASEAN-related events.

A senior U.S. official stated that a bilateral trade agreement is virtually complete, noting, "We literally have the paper." The deal could be signed within three to four months, pending the conclusion of U.S. Section 301 investigations into unfair trade practices. One such probe involving 60 countries is expected to finish within two weeks.

Despite the progress, trade tensions remain over proposed U.S. tariffs of up to 12.5% regarding forced labor. Additionally, President Donald Trump announced that generic drug imports will be exempt from tariffs for two years starting August 1, after which they will face tariffs of 100% for one year and 200% thereafter. This tiered schedule threatens India's pharmaceutical sector, which exported $9.7 billion in drugs to the U.S. in 2025. Indian Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal stated that India sees no challenge in the ongoing negotiations.