U.S. Vice President JD Vance has recently arrived in India for a four-day visit, with the main agenda being to discuss ways to avoid U.S. tariffs, negotiate a bilateral trade agreement with Washington, and bolster relations with the Trump administration.
During his stay, Vance is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the first day. The primary focus of their discussions will be on the commitments made earlier in the year when Modi had a meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington.
The U.S. is India’s largest trading partner and the two countries are now holding negotiations aiming to seal a bilateral trade agreement this year.
The leaders have set an ambitious goal of increasing their bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. If successful, this trade pact has the potential to significantly boost economic relations between the two nations and could also lead to stronger diplomatic ties.
Vance’s first visit to New Delhi comes amid the backdrop of Trump’s now-paused tariff program against most countries, including India. It also coincides with a rapidly intensifying trade war between Washington and Beijing, which is New Delhi’s main rival in the region.
Modi and Vance are expected to “review the progress in bilateral relations” and “exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest,” India’s Foreign Ministry said last week. On Monday, spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Vance’s visit will “further deepen the India–U.S. comprehensive global strategic partnership.”
Vance is combining business with pleasure on this trip
Vance was greeted with an Indian classical dance performance after he arrived at New Delhi’s Palam airport on Monday, following his visit to Rome, where he met Pope Francis on Easter Sunday. He is accompanied by his wife, Usha Vance, a practicing Hindu whose parents are from India, along with their three children and officials from the U.S. administration.
The family visited the Akshardham Hindu temple in New Delhi after their arrival and are expected to tour the iconic Taj Mahal monument and the 12th-century Amer Fort — a UNESCO world heritage site — during their trip.
India is important to the U.S. in counterbalancing Chinese influence
India is a close partner of the U.S. and an important strategic ally in combating the rising influence of China in the Indo-Pacific region. It is also part of the Quad, which is comprised of the U.S., India, Japan and Australia and is seen as a counterbalance to China’s expansion in the region. Trump is expected to attend a summit of Quad leaders in India later this year.
Washington has long sought to develop a deeper partnership with New Delhi, which is seen as a bulwark against China. Modi particularly established a good working relationship with Trump during his first term in office and the two leaders are likely to further boost cooperation between their countries.
Modi was among the first leaders to visit the U.S. and hold talks with Trump after he returned to the White House. During his visit, he hailed a “mega partnership” with the U.S., and kickstarted a negotiation process to minimize the possible fallout of Trump’s tariffs.
The two leaders also said they planned to grow their defense partnership, with India signaling compliance with the Trump administration’s demands, saying it will purchase more oil, energy and defense equipment from the U.S. Modi has also been reciprocal to Trump’s demands to deport undocumented migrants as India has accepted many of its citizens from the U.S. in past few months.
Regardless, Trump targeted India with a 26% levy, part of which has since been paused. However, he has continued to call India a “tariff abuser” and “tariff king.”
Trade talks are urgent for Delhi as it tries to avoid Trump’s tariffs
The trade negotiations are especially urgent for New Delhi as it could be hit hard by Trump’s tariffs, particularly in the agriculture, processed food, auto components, high-end machinery, medical equipment and jewelry sectors.
Harsh Vardhan Shringla, India’s former foreign secretary and ambassador to the U.S., said Vance’s visit holds significance as it comes at a time of global upheavals in world trade. He said ties between New Delhi and Washington could see an upsurge under Trump’s presidency, mainly in technology-sharing and defense.
“U.S. trade policy under Trump offers an opportunity for India to embed itself in a bigger way in the U.S. markets and global supply chains,” Shringla said.
Modi’s government is also hoping to attract investment from Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.
Last month, Musk’s Starlink entered into agreements with two of India’s top telecom operators to provide satellite-based internet services. Musk also indicated he would visit India later this year after speaking last week with Modi, signaling there could be progress in the electric-car maker’s push to enter Indian market.
India is also a major defense partner of the U.S. It has in recent years embedded advanced American jets, helicopters, missiles and military gear into its armed forces. The two countries have announced plans to sign a 10-year framework later this year for strengthening their defense partnership.
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Associated Press writer Rajesh Roy contributed to this report.
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