India rubbishes report claiming NSA Doval met US Secy Rubio amid trade tensions last year

New Delhi: India on Thursday rejected a Bloomberg report which had claimed that a meeting between National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had taken place last year amid stalled trade talks between the two countries.

The report had claimed further that it was conveyed to Washington that New Delhi was ready to wait until the end of US President Donald Trump’s term to finalise a trade deal.

“There is absolutely no basis for that report. No such meeting or no such visit has taken place,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal while responding to a question on the Bloomberg report during a weekly media briefing in New Delhi on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, citing the historic India-US trade deal, which he said is “in the final stages of detailing”, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar said that a “strong momentum” is evident in the growing engagement between New Delhi and Washington.

The EAM made the comment as he concluded his February 2-4 visit to the United States during which he also participated in the Critical Minerals Ministerial convened by the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday.

“Concluded a productive and positive visit to the US. Thank Secretary Rubio for his warm hospitality,” he posted on X.

“The historic India-US trade deal is in the final stages of detailing that will be completed very soon. It opens up a new phase in our bilateral ties, with vast possibilities for the relationship. Our critical mineral cooperation is also advancing rapidly. Expect engagement on strategic issues, defence and energy in the coming days. Overall, a strong momentum is evident,” EAM Jaishankar added.

During the significant visit, the External Affairs Minister also hold meetings with senior members of the US administration.

This included separate meetings with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, during which he held wide-ranging discussions on the India-US strategic and economic partnership.

“Delighted to meet US Secretary Rubio this afternoon,” Jaishankar said in a post on X after the meeting. “A wide-ranging conversation that covered our bilateral cooperation agenda, regional and global issues.”

The discussions with Rubio, he stated, covered multiple pillars of the India-US relationship. “Facets of India – US Strategic Partnership discussed included trade, energy, nuclear, defence, critical minerals and technology,” EAM Jaishankar mentioned.

The External Affairs Minister said both sides agreed to move quickly on follow-up engagements. “Agreed on the early meetings of various mechanisms to advance our shared interests,” he added.

According to the US State Department readout, EAM Jaishankar and Rubio discussed formalising bilateral cooperation on critical minerals exploration, mining, and processing — an area that has emerged as a central pillar of the India–US economic and strategic relationship.

The meeting on Wednesday came a day after US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a trade deal aimed at lowering barriers and expanding market access between the world’s two largest democracies.

US Secretary Rubio and EAM Jaishankar also welcomed the agreement, underscoring the importance of the two democracies working together to unlock new economic opportunities and advance shared energy security goals, the readout said.

The discussions also focused on the regional and multilateral dimensions of the partnership. Rubio and EAM Jaishankar concluded their meeting by reaffirming their commitment to expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. They acknowledged that a prosperous Indo-Pacific region remains vital to advancing shared interests.

On Wednesday, EAM Jaishankar also met US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington. “Pleased to meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington DC today,” he said in a separate post.

The External Affairs Minister described the talks as productive. “Had a useful discussion on advancement of India – US economic partnership and strategic cooperation,” he said.

The twin meetings reflected the broadening scope of India-US engagement, spanning diplomacy, security, trade, and finance. Senior officials on both sides have emphasised the need for closer coordination across departments to translate political momentum into concrete outcomes.

India and the United States have expanded cooperation in recent years across defence, energy, and emerging technologies, while also deepening economic ties through trade and investment. Both countries have highlighted critical minerals and advanced technologies as priority areas, given their importance to clean energy transitions and high-end manufacturing.

The latest high-level engagements follow sustained dialogue between New Delhi and Washington on regional and global issues, including developments in the Indo-Pacific. Officials on both sides have described the India-US partnership as a central pillar of their respective foreign policy strategies.

IANS