Jaishankar, Rubio Discuss Trade, Critical Minerals Amid $500 Billion India-US Trade Push

• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone conversation on January 13.
• Discussions covered trade, critical minerals, nuclear cooperation, defence, and energy.
• Both leaders agreed to stay in touch on these key areas of cooperation.
• Rubio congratulated India on its nuclear energy legislation, aiming to deepen civil nuclear cooperation and expand opportunities for US companies.
• The call comes amidst efforts to boost India-US trade to $500 billion by 2030, despite past tariff challenges.

Why It Matters: India and the US are pushing to strengthen economic ties, focusing on trade, critical minerals, and energy.