Vance’s visit begins on April 21, India hopes to seal trade deal
The Ministry of External Affairs said US Vice-President JD Vance and his Indian-origin wife Usha would officially visit India from April 21-24
The Vice-President and his family will visit New Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. While in India, Vance is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The visit comes against the backdrop of ongoing India-US trade agreement talks.
Though the meeting with Modi will be an official engagement, sources said the rest of the India leg will be “largely private”. The Vance family — including their three children — is expected to visit the Taj Mahal in Agra and take part in cultural engagements.
The MEA said the visit “will provide an opportunity for both sides to review the progress in bilateral relations and the implementation of outcomes from the India-US joint statement issued on February 13”.
The statement, which placed strong emphasis on trade ties, was released following PM Modi’s meeting with US President Donald Trump during his visit to the US.
This marks the second high-level visit from the Trump administration to India in recent weeks. In March, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard visited New Delhi.
Coinciding with Vance’s visit, US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz is also expected to arrive in India. Waltz will meet his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval and address the Indo-US Forum hosted by the Ananta Centre. The two NSAs co-chair the India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET).
Later this summer, US Defence Secretary Peter Hegseth is also scheduled to visit India, ahead of President Trump’s expected participation in the Quad summit.
This flurry of diplomatic engagement follows Trump’s announcement — and subsequent pause — of sweeping reciprocal tariffs on global trade partners. India and the US are currently working to finalise a bilateral trade deal.
India’s Trade Secretary Sunil Barthwal said on Tuesday that the agreement would bring “more opportunities than concerns” for both nations. Sector-specific tariff discussions between trade negotiators are expected to begin virtually this week.
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