New Delhi: US Senator Steve Daines, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, concluded his visit to India from January 17-19, which included meetings with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, members of parliament, and business leaders from both countries, the US Embassy in India stated on Tuesday. Reflecting on his visit, Daines said, “I came to India to reaffirm our two countries’ shared values and strategic partnership and to advocate on behalf of Montana’s pulse crop farmers. I appreciated Minister Goyal for listening to our farmers’ concerns and will continue to work with President Trump to press this important priority.”
During his meetings, Daines discussed ongoing US-India defence cooperation, securing supply chains, and strengthening the strategic partnership to ensure regional security and stability in the Indo-Pacific. A key focus of his discussions was urging favorable provisions for Montana’s pulse crop farmers in any future US-India trade agreements, given that Montana is the top producer and India the largest consumer of pulses globally.
Engaging with Indian officials and business community
The US Mission India highlighted that Senator Daines met senior officials and parliamentarians to push forward the Trump Administration’s agenda while also representing the interests of Montana. He also engaged with business leaders to explore opportunities for collaboration in advanced technologies and expanding trade and investment ties, aiming to boost prosperity in both nations.
US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, described the visit as “instrumental in advancing our bilateral relationship” and emphasized that regular travel by senior US officials to India would continue to strengthen cooperation.
Strategic discussions with EAM Jaishankar
Senator Daines met EAM S. Jaishankar in Delhi on Sunday, discussing the broad spectrum of bilateral ties and their strategic significance. Following the meeting, Jaishankar posted on X, “A pleasure meeting Senator Steve Daines this morning in Delhi. A wide-ranging and open discussion on our bilateral relationship and its strategic significance.”
The visit comes shortly after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Jaishankar over the phone to review cooperation in civil nuclear energy, trade, and regional security in the Indo-Pacific. Ambassador Gor described the discussion as positive and noted plans to continue dialogue on bilateral trade negotiations, critical minerals, and potential future meetings.