The bilateral meeting marked Marco Rubio's first engagement with a foreign dignitary since assuming office as U.S. Secretary of State on Tuesday, January 21, 2025. It took place following the Quad Foreign Ministers' meeting, which included Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi.

"A statement released by the U.S. State Department on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, noted that the two leaders discussed a broad array of topics, including critical and emerging technologies, defense collaboration, energy partnerships, and efforts to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region."

s on immigration issues came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump signed several Executive Orders, including measures to revoke 'birthright citizenship' and intensify actions against illegal immigration.

Secretary Rubio highlighted the Trump Administration’s commitment to strengthening economic relations with India and addressing concerns surrounding irregular migration, according to a statement from the U.S. State Department.

Meanwhile, Mr. Jaishankar shared photos of the meeting on social media, noting that they had reviewed the 'extensive bilateral partnership, which Secretary Rubio has strongly supported.' He also mentioned discussions on regional and global issues, stating, 'I look forward to working closely with him to advance our strategic cooperation.' However, Mr. Jaishankar did not mention the topic of irregular migration in his remarks.According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), there are approximately 725,000 undocumented Indians in the United States, out of a total of 1.4 million undocumented individuals. Nearly 18,000 of them are on a list for 'final removal' or deportation. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) did not respond to requests for comment regarding Secretary Rubio’s remarks, nor to reports suggesting that India has agreed to cooperate in deporting the 18,000 Indians identified for removal.

The revocation of birthright citizenship, set to take effect within 30 days unless blocked by U.S. courts, is expected to impact hundreds of thousands of Indians employed in the U.S. on H1-B and other temporary visas, many of whom had planned to establish families in the country.

Neither party addressed President Trump’s additional announcement, issued alongside the Executive Orders, proposing a '100% tax' on members of the BRICS economic bloc if they pursued efforts to bypass the U.S. dollar in international trade

Mr. Jaishankar also held discussions with incoming U.S. National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, continuing a dialogue that began during his previous visit to Washington in December, where they discussed pursuing an 'active and outcome-oriented agenda.'

Earlier in the day, Mr. Jaishankar participated in the Quad Foreign Ministers' meeting alongside his counterparts from Australia and Japan. This meeting marked Secretary Rubio’s first major foreign policy engagement following his introductory address to State Department staff. In a joint statement, the four Ministers expressed strong opposition to 'unilateral actions aimed at altering the status quo through force or coercion,' a stance widely interpreted as a response to China's activities in the region.The statement carried added significance as Chinese Vice Premier Hang Zheng was among the senior dignitaries attending President Trump’s inauguration on Monday, January 20, 2025. Hang Zheng represented China following an invitation extended by Mr. Trump to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The next Quad Summit is scheduled to take place in India, after the country was unable to host the 2024 summit due to former U.S. President Biden’s unavailability. 'We look forward to advancing the work of the Quad in the coming months and will meet regularly as we prepare for the next Quad Leaders’ Summit, to be hosted by India,' stated the Quad Ministers, signaling that another Foreign Ministers' meeting would be held in the coming months.

Mr. Jaishankar emphasized the significance of the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting, noting that it took place just hours after the inauguration of the Trump Administration.Mr. Jaishankar stated, 'This highlights the priority the Quad holds in the foreign policies of its member states… The meeting today sends a clear message that, in an uncertain and volatile world, the Quad will remain a force for global good,' he wrote on the social media platform X.

In interviews with U.S. journalists on his first day in office, Mr. Rubio emphasized the importance of the Indo-Pacific region. 'My first meeting right out of the box, as soon as I’m sworn in and head over to the State Department, is with the members of the so-called Quad, which includes important allies Australia, Japan, and India,' he told ABC News.

While Japan and Australia are 'treaty allies' through formal alliance agreements, India does not accept this label. Mr. Jaishankar has consistently stated that India has 'never been part of an alliance system and will never be.