synopsis
PM Modi welcomed US Vice President JD Vance, his wife Usha Vance, and their children to his official residence at Lok Kalyan Marg in New Delhi, marking a personal and symbolic start to the Vice President’s maiden official visit to India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday warmly welcomed United States Vice President JD Vance, his wife Usha Vance, and their children to his official residence at Lok Kalyan Marg in New Delhi, marking a personal and symbolic start to the Vice President’s maiden official visit to India.
The bilateral meeting between PM Modi and JD Vance comes at a pivotal moment, as India seeks to fast-track a trade deal with the United States.
With Donald Trump’s administration pausing reciprocal tariffs for three months, India is pushing to avoid their potential reimposition. The talks are expected to focus heavily on finalizing key terms of the deal, aiming to strengthen economic ties, improve market access, and resolve lingering disputes.
Both nations view the agreement as crucial for enhancing bilateral trade, promoting supply chain resilience, and reinforcing their strategic partnership amid evolving global economic dynamics.
The visit, which runs from April 21 to April 24, comes amid a crucial period in global diplomacy, with the India-US partnership playing a central role in shaping economic and strategic alignments in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
Vice President Vance arrived at the Air Force Station in Palam earlier in the day, landing around 9:30 am to a Guard of Honour ceremony, signalling the significance New Delhi places on his presence.
His meeting with PM Modi is expected to cover a wide array of strategic and economic matters, including trade restructuring, supply chain resilience, regional security, and coordination in the Indo-Pacific, all against the backdrop of heightened US-China tensions and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
PM Modi's gesture of inviting the Vance family to his residence ahead of formal talks underscores the deepening personal rapport between top leaders of the two democracies. Usha Vance, who has Indian roots, also drew special attention from the Indian media and public, with images of the couple and their children being shared widely on social media.
From New Delhi, Vice President Vance will travel to Jaipur on Tuesday and visit Agra on Wednesday before concluding his tour. His visit is being closely watched as an indicator of how the new US administration under President Donald Trump, with Vance as his Vice President, plans to recalibrate its ties with India in a changing global order.
With warm personal moments shared at Lok Kalyan Marg and weighty policy discussions ahead, Vance’s visit marks a critical chapter in the evolving India-US strategic narrative.