Washington, Sep 24 (IANS) Commerce and Industry, Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday attended a high-level session on energy security in New York where he called for expanding India-US energy trade.

The event, co-organised by the Consulate General of India in New York, was also attended by Member of Parliament Anurag Thakur.

In a post on X, the Consulate General’s official account said that Goyal spoke about the “scope to expand India-US energy trade” and collaboration on nuclear power as an affordable clean energy option besides promoting start-ups in renewables.

He also called for global cooperation to ensure a secure and sustainable energy future and highlighted “India’s integrated national grid ensuring resilience and uninterrupted supply.”

Goyal also reaffirmed PM Modi’s vision of ‘One Sun, One World, One Grid’, India’s leadership in solar energy, the International Solar Alliance, and the “country’s renewable energy achievements, underscoring India’s commitment to inclusive, sustainable and affordable growth.”

On Monday, Piyush Goyal met US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in New York to negotiate the first tranche of a trade agreement.

Sources told IANS that the meeting focused on addressing key sticking points, and both sides remain hopeful of reaching an interim understanding soon.

The trade talks come days after US Assistant Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch held discussions with India’s chief trade negotiator Rajesh Agrawal in Delhi.

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar, who is also in New York for the UN General Assembly, met Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday.

After the talks, Rubio said that India is of “critical” value to his country and welcomed the ongoing trade interactions.

Jaishankar also posted on X, “Our conversation covered a range of bilateral and international issues of current concern. Agreed on the importance of sustained engagement to progress on priority areas”.

However, the talks have been overshadowed by the Trump administration’s decision to significantly curtail the H-1B visa programme.

US President Donald Trump last week signed a proclamation imposing a $100,000 fee for each new application.

On Tuesday, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a new proposal to “amend its regulations” governing the H-1B visa process.

It seeks to scrap the existing lottery system and implement a weighted selection process to favour the allocation of H-1B visas to higher-skilled workers.

–IANS

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