US Vice President, JD Vance, has arrived in India for talks with Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on a bilateral trade deal.
This comes as the US tariff war with China escalates and the US global economic alliances fray.
Vance, joined by the second lady, Usha Vance, and their three children; Ewan, Vivek and Mirabel, landed in Delhi for a four-day visit that blends high-level negotiations with a family sightseeing tour.
The Vance family was greeted at the airport by Railways Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw.
The White House described the visit as focused on “shared economic and geopolitical priorities,” while India said that Vance’s stay would provide an opportunity for both sides to review the progress in bilateral relations and two leaders will exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest.
The discussions between Vance and Modi are likely to focus on the progress of the bilateral agenda laid out in February during Modi’s visit to the US.
This agenda includes “fairness” in their two-way trade and the expansion of their defense partnership. “We are very positive that the visit will give a further boost to our bilateral ties,” India’s foreign ministry said.
Talks will centre on fast-tracking a trade deal amid Washington’s global tariff offensive, India was hit with 26% tariffs by Donald Trump on April 2, 2025, despite his good relations with Modi.
A 90-day pause has offered temporary relief but Delhi remains wary.
To head off further economic fallout, officials in the Indian capital have been working overtime to hammer out the first tranche of the trade deal that both sides hope to have completed by autumn.
India has already slashed tariffs on some US goods and further sweeping cuts are expected.
The US is India’s top trading partner, with two-way trade surpassing $190bn (£144bn). That relationship was boosted after Modi paid a goodwill visit to Washington after Trump’s return to the White House.
Both leaders pledged to more than double bilateral trade to $500bn – a “mega partnership,” as Modi called it.
Although Vance is primarily on a working visit, his trip will have a strong personal element.
The family will tour the royal palaces of Jaipur and the iconic Taj Mahal. Officials say that the “private component” underscores Usha Vance’s Indian roots – she was born in the US to Indian immigrants – and deep ties to India.
Farmer Protests, Tensions Over US Immigration To Overshadow Visit
However, farmer protests and tensions over US immigration threaten to overshadow the trip.
India’s biggest and oldest farmers’ union, the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), has called for nationwide protests on the day of Vance’s arrival, to oppose a trade deal.
The union says trade liberalisation could devastate farm incomes, particularly in the dairy sector.
The AIKS, affiliated with the Communist party of India, claims more than 16 million members and has accused the US commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, of “coercion” in demanding that India’s heavily subsidised agriculture sector be part of the deal.
Meanwhile, memories are still fresh in the Modi government of large-scale farmer protests in 2020–21 that forced the repeal of controversial farm laws.
Tensions are also flaring over student and H-1B visas, often awarded to tech workers. The Congress leader, Jairam Ramesh has flagged US data showing that of 327 recent visa revocations for international students, half involved Indian nationals.
Ramesh said that the reasons for revocation are “random and unclear,” adding that there is growing fear and apprehension. He urged the External Affairs Minister to “raise the concern” with the US.
Concerns over H-1B visas, long vital for Indian tech workers in the US, are mounting, too. Indians accounted for 70% of all H-1B visas last year, more than 200,000. Uncertainty over re-entry is prompting many to cancel visits home.
The Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal said that the government was “very positive” that Vance’s visit would “further boost” ties and promised “all relevant issues” would be discussed.
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