Reflecting the importance Washington attaches to India since the new Trump administration took office, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Walz held their first bilateral and international meetings with Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is in Washington at the invitation of the US government to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States. The meeting between the two top diplomats representing the world's oldest and largest democracies took place at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the US State Department. The bilateral meeting was preceded by the first Quad ministerial meeting after Donald Trump became President.

The first bilateral meeting of the new US Secretary of State

Marco Rubio's decision to hold his first bilateral meeting with India's Foreign Minister S Jaishankar is significant as the first foreign visit of any previous new US administration has traditionally been to its two neighbours Canada and Mexico or one of its NATO allies.

The bilateral meeting between the new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Dr. Jaishankar came less than an hour after the former Secretary of State officially assumed office. The two leaders held wide-ranging talks during which they discussed in-depth aspects of the India-US strategic partnership. The meeting, which lasted for over an hour, was also attended by India's Ambassador to the US Vinay Kwatra.

Immediately following the meeting, Secretary Rubio and Dr. Jaishankar made a joint appearance before the international press, where they shook hands and posed for official photographs.

First Quad meeting of the new Trump administration

Just before the two leaders met for bilateral talks, they joined Penny Wong from Australia and Iwaya Takeshi from Japan in the first Quad meeting of the new Trump administration. It is a diplomatic and security partnership established by the four countries to maintain peace and freedom of navigation under a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region.

The meeting between the four top leaders lasted for more than an hour, after which they appeared before the press for a customary photo session. However, they did not ask any questions or make any statement.

Dr Jaishankar wrote, Attended a fruitful meeting of Quad Foreign Ministers in Washington DC today. Thank you @secrubio for hosting us, and Foreign Ministers @SenatorWong and Takeshi Iwaya for their participation.

He further said that it is significant that the Quad foreign ministers' meeting took place within hours of the inauguration of the Trump administration. This underlines its priority in the foreign policy of its member countries. Our wide-ranging discussions addressed various dimensions of ensuring a free, open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

Meeting with new US NSA Mike Walz

After these two meetings, Dr. Jaishankar held another top-level meeting. Jaishankar met with the new US National Security Advisor or NSA Mike Walz. For Walz too, this was his first international meeting after taking charge on the same day. The meeting took place at the White House.

After the meeting, Dr. Jaishankar said, it was a great pleasure to meet NSA Mike Walz again this afternoon. Discussed strengthening our friendship to ensure mutual benefit and enhance global stability and prosperity. I look forward to working together on an active and outcome oriented agenda.

On Monday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was seen in the front row during US President Donald Trump's inaugural address at the Capitol Rotunda in Washington DC.

Dr Jaishankar said it was a "great honour" to attend the ceremony as India's special envoy. He also met members of the new Trump administration, including the 56th Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, and Kash Patel, the nominee for the post of Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

He also met with Vivek Ramaswami, who had left the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency to possibly run for Ohio governor.