US-India Ties Strengthen as Envoys Meet in China, Focus on Trade and Quad

India’s Ambassador to China, Pradeep Kumar Rawat, and US Ambassador to China, David Perdue, met in Beijing and discussed expanding bilateral engagement and shared strategic interests, with a focus on defence cooperation, energy security, critical minerals and collaboration through the Quad framework.

Following the meeting, Ambassador Perdue said the US-India partnership continues to deliver tangible outcomes through close cooperation across multiple sectors. In a post on social media platform X, he highlighted defence, energy, critical minerals and Quad engagement as key pillars of the growing relationship.

“The US-India relationship delivers real results through close cooperation on defence, energy, critical minerals and through Quad engagement. Always great to see my friend Ambassador Rawat to discuss our shared interests,” Perdue wrote.

The interaction between the two envoys comes days after India and the United States announced that they had reached a framework for an Interim Agreement on reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade. The framework reaffirmed the commitment of both countries to the broader US-India Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) negotiations launched by US President Donald J Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 13, 2025.

According to a joint statement, the proposed Interim Agreement is expected to mark a significant milestone in the bilateral partnership by advancing balanced trade, expanding market access and strengthening resilient supply chains.

Earlier this month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also committed to deepening bilateral and multilateral cooperation through the Quad during talks held ahead of the Critical Minerals Ministerial.

A readout issued by US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the two leaders discussed formalising cooperation on critical minerals exploration, mining and processing. They also underlined the importance of India and the United States working together to unlock new economic opportunities and advance shared energy security objectives.

The readout noted that Secretary Rubio and Minister Jaishankar welcomed the trade deal reached between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi, and reiterated their commitment to strengthening democratic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

Both leaders also emphasised that a prosperous Indo-Pacific region remains vital for advancing shared strategic interests, concluding their meeting by reaffirming support for expanding cooperation through the Quad, which includes the United States, India, Australia and Japan.

In December 2025, Ambassador Perdue had reiterated the Quad’s role in maintaining a “free and open” Indo-Pacific during a meeting with Quad ambassadors in Beijing. Describing the grouping as a “force for good,” he highlighted the continued strength of the US-Australia-India-Japan partnership and its commitment to regional stability and a rules-based order.