Following his meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday, US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, reiterated that India continues to be a "critical" partner for Washington. The meeting is seen as an apparent bid by both sides to repair relations ruptured by a number of U.S. actions, including the 50% tariffs on Indian goods and an increase in H-1B visa fees.

Rubio met Jaishankar on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. He also added that two countries would "continue working together to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region, including through the Quad."

Ties between Delhi and Washington have been strained by trade frictions, but had looked to be picking up again until Trump's visa announcement on Friday — a move that has hit Indian technology companie

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