In his first bilateral meeting with the new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlighted the prolonged delays faced by Indian citizens in obtaining US visas. Emphasizing the “strong degree of trust” between India and the United States, Jaishankar acknowledged the strength of the bilateral relationship but stressed the need for urgent attention to the visa issue.
Jaishankar pointed out that the delays, which can take up to 400 days, not only impact businesses and tourism but also hinder people-to-people connections, limiting the full potential of bilateral engagement. He described the visa delays as a critical issue that needs to be addressed to better serve the relationship between the two nations.