"Maybe I Can Live In India": What JD Vance's Son Said After PM's Dinner

US Vice-President J D Vance on Tuesday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "special person", and revealed he was only the second world leader apart from President Donald Trump his children are fond of.

Mr Vance, who arrived in India for a four-day visit with his wife Usha Vance and three children on Monday evening, said his affection for Mr Modi flowed from his kids' perception of the Indian Prime Minister.

While addressing an event in Jaipur, the US Vice-President shared a light moment from a dinner that was hosted by Mr Modi for him and his family at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg residence in the Capital on Monday evening. Mr Vance said that after the warm gesture, his eldest son, Ewan, told him that he could live in India. 

"My son, Ewan, is seven-years-old. He is our first born son. Yesterday after we had dinner at the Prime Minister's House, the food was so good and the Prime Minister was so kind to our three children, that Ewan came to me afterwards and said 'dad, maybe I can live in India'," the US Vice-President said, as the audience burst into laughter. 

Mr Vance said it did not take much time for his son to change his mind.  

"I think after about 90 minutes in the Jaipur sun today at the Great Palace, he (Ewan) suggested maybe we should move to England. So you take the good with the bad here," he said, referring to the Vances' visit to a number of historical sites in Jaipur, including the Amer Fort, also known as Amber Fort. The fort is a UNESCO world heritage site.

Mr Vance also recalled his first meeting with Mr Modi during the AI Action Summit and the Prime Minister's grand gesture for Ewan on his birthday, in Paris in February this year.

"I think he is a special person. I first met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the AI Action Summit in February. We had a lot of important discussions on AI and other policies to prepare for. And the Prime Minister also managed to figure out that my son Vivek was actually turning five-years-old on the trip. This was in Paris, just a couple of months ago. So think about this - huge international policy conference. He took the time to stop by where I was staying, wish our second son Vivek a happy birthday and even bring him a gift," Mr Vance said.

The US Vice-President said he and his wife were "genuinely touched by his (Modi's) graciousness". "And we have even been more impressed by his warmth since we arrived in India," he said. 

Mr Vance also highlighted his children's rapport with the Indian Prime Minister. 

"It's interesting. Some of you may know that when you are a politician, your kids spend almost as much time in the limelight as you do and the great thing about kids is that they are brutally honest. They are brutally honest with everybody, whether you want them to be or not. And our seven-year-old, five-year-old and three-year-old baby girl Mirabelle ... it's interesting they've only really built a rapport with only two world leaders," he said.

"First, of course, is President Trump. He just has some certain energy. And Prime Minister Modi is the exact same thing our kids just like and I think because kids are of such strong characters, I just like Prime Minister Modi too and I think it's a great foundation of our relationship," he added.

Mr Vance also said Mr Modi is a "serious leader, who has thought deeply of India's prosperity and security not just the rest of his time in office but over the next century". 

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