‘Would expect India to be concerned’: US Secretary Rubio on Trump’s generic drug tariffs
US generic drug tariffs remained in focus as Marco Rubio said S Jaishankar did not raise concerns during their Manila meeting covering trade, defence and energy.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday addressed the proposed tariffs on generic drugs being brought into America and said India did not raise any concern over President Donald Trump’s tariff announcement during their meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
During a meeting in Manila on Wednesday, Jaishankar met Rubio to discuss priority areas, including trade, tariffs, energy, defence, critical minerals, and artificial intelligence.
JUST IN: 🇺🇸🇮🇳 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said India did not raise concerns over President Trump’s proposed tariffs on generic drugs during their meeting.
Rubio added that the United States remains “very close” to India and understands New Delhi’s concerns over the issue. pic.twitter.com/J9gI8jgWN3
Rubio, while taking questions from reporters, was asked if he had any discussion regarding the generic drugs tariff proposed by the Trump administration and if Jaishankar raised any concern about the tariffs announced.
Always good to see my friend, Indian External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar on the sidelines of ASEAN.
We discussed regional security issues, the Quad, trade, and defense agreements. Our relationship with India is vitally important. pic.twitter.com/Ji7umqLO7K
Rubio responded, saying that “We didn’t get into depth on pharmaceuticals today, but I would expect them to be concerned about it, but they didn’t raise it today.”
Pleased to meet @SecRubio of the USA here in Manila.
Our meeting focused on areas which are priority for the 🇮🇳🇺🇸 Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, including trade & tariffs, energy, defence & security, critical minerals & artificial intelligence.
The US Secretary of State added that India “might have raised concerns with others in our system because we were obviously deal with India; we are very close to them.”
West Asia crisis also figures in discussions
According to a PTI report, Jaishankar and Rubio also exchanged views on the West Asia crisis and its larger impact on global fuel supplies and market stability.
Informing about the discussion, Jaishankar in a social media post wrote, “Our meeting focused on areas which are priority for the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, including trade and tariffs, energy, defence and security, critical minerals and artificial intelligence.”
The external affairs minister added, “We also exchanged quick perspectives on regional, global and multilateral issues of mutual interest.”
Jaishankar and Rubio are in the Philippines to participate in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Quad grouping and take part in the high-level discussions under the framework.
Trump announces phased tariff plan for generic drugs
The development comes as Trump on Tuesday said all generic drugs being brought into America will continue to have a tariff of 0 per cent for two years starting from August 1, and after that the tariff rate will be hiked to 100 per cent for one year and to 200 per cent thereafter.
Story continues below this ad
In a post on Truth Social, the US President wrote, “This is done in order to RESHORE Generic Pharmaceutical Production into America, with a penalty to those Companies that decide not to build Plant and Equipment within the stated period of time given to them.”
The Express Global Desk at indianexpress.com which delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. The desk focuses on stories with direct relevance for Indian and global audiences, combining breaking news with in-depth explainers and analysis.
A major focus area of the desk is US immigration and visa policy, including developments related to student visas, work permits, permanent residency pathways, executive actions, and court rulings. The Global Desk also closely tracks Canada’s immigration, visa, and study policies, covering changes to study permits, post-study work options, permanent residence programmes, and regulatory updates affecting migrants and international students.
All reporting from the Global Desk adheres to The Indian Express’ editorial standards, relying on official data, government notifications, court documents, and on-record sources. The desk prioritises clarity, accuracy, and accountability, ensuring readers can navigate complex global systems with confidence.
Core Team
The Express Global Desk is led by a team of experienced journalists and editors with deep expertise in international affairs and migration policy:
Aniruddha Dhar – Senior Assistant Editor with extensive experience in global affairs, international politics, and editorial leadership.
Nischai Vats – Deputy Copy Editor specialising in US politics, US visa and immigration policy, and policy-driven international coverage.
Mashkoora Khan – Sub-editor focusing on global developments, with a strong emphasis on Canada visa, immigration, and study-related policy coverage. ... Read More
