JD Vance will visit India and meet PM Modi amid US tariff war with China
WASHINGTON : US Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to visit India next week. He will meet with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and travel to New Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra. JD Vance, along with his family, will visit Italy and India from April 18 to April 24.
The Office of the Vice President in a release on Wednesday said, “Vice President JD Van e and the Second Family will travel to Italy and India from April 18 to April 24. The Vice President will discuss shared economic and geopolitical priorities with leaders in each country.” In Rome, Italy, the Vice President will meet with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The Vice President will also meet with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
“In India, the Vice President will visit New Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra. The Vice President will hold meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Vice President and Second Family will also participate in engagements at cultural sites,” the release said.
The two leaders are scheduled to meet on 21 April, the first day of Vance’s trip, for discussions on economic, trade and geopolitical ties.
“The visit will provide an opportunity for both sides to review the progress in bilateral relations,” India’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
Vance’s first visit to India since taking office comes as the countries work to conclude a trade agreement by fall.
The vice-president will be accompanied by his children and wife Usha Vance whose parents migrated to the US from the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
The visit comes against the backdrop of an intensifying trade war between the US and China with President Donald Trump placing tariffs of up to 145% on Chinese goods, with levies on some goods possibly reaching 245%. China has hit back with tariffs of 125% on US products.
India was also among the countries which faced 27% US tariffs on 2 April, before a 90-day pause was announced.
Since then, Delhi and Washington have been working towards an early conclusion of trade negotiations.
India has already cut tariffs on a range of goods and is reported to be considering more wide-ranging cuts to stave off Trump’s threats.
Until recently, the United States was India’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching $190bn (£144bn).
Earlier in February, during his visit to France for the AI Action Summit, PM Modi gifted an eco-friendly wooden alphabet set to Mirabel Rose Vance, daughter of US Vice President Vance. Following his visit to France, PM Modi landed in the United States at the invitation of US President Donald Trump.