VP Vance Begins India Visit Amidst Trade Tensions and Diplomatic Overtures

Vice President JD Vance arrived in New Delhi on Monday, embarking on a four-day visit to India that holds both personal and political significance, occurring against the backdrop of President Donald Trump’s ongoing global trade disputes, Bloomberg reports.

Vance’s trip comes as the US is threatening to escalate tariffs on Indian exports from the current 10% to 26% if no trade agreement is reached by the end of the 90-day pause implemented by President Trump earlier this month.

Upon landing in the Indian capital, Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, were greeted by Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, a close associate of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Vice President received a formal welcome, including a gun salute and a performance of the US national anthem by a military band.

Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to host Vance for a bilateral meeting, according to the White House. These talks are significant for Modi, who seeks to position India as a leader of the Global South, a group of emerging economies, to enhance its influence on the world stage.

Trump administration officials have identified India as one of the countries with which the US is prioritizing trade negotiations during the 90-day pause on increased duties, which extends until July. Vance’s visit raises hopes in New Delhi that a swift deal can be secured, providing relief from potentially higher tariffs while the current 10% rate remains in place.

In a related development, Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will also attend the International Monetary Fund meetings in Washington, D.C., where she is expected to discuss trade matters with senior US officials.

Furthermore, Modi is seeking to attract investment from White House advisor Elon Musk. The Tesla CEO indicated that he plans to visit India later this year, following a conversation with Modi last week, suggesting potential progress for the electric car maker’s long-anticipated entry into the world’s most populous country.

Vance’s visit will also incorporate elements of soft diplomacy, with the Vice President and his family planning to visit cultural sites in Jaipur and Agra, including the Taj Mahal.

Interest in the Vance family is already high in India, particularly as Usha Vance is the first Indian-American Second Lady. Indian media outlets have given extensive coverage to her, detailing her family heritage tracing back to the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

Milan Vaishnav, director of the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, suggests that the Vance family visit underscores the importance of India-US ties at a time when the US is adopting a more assertive global stance.

The level of attention directed toward Usha Vance mirrors that given to former Vice President Kamala Harris, who also received considerable attention in India, particularly in her ancestral village in Tamil Nadu. However, Harris did not visit India during her four years as Vice President.

The US has long sought to strengthen its partnership with India, largely as a strategic counterweight to China. India, in turn, desires greater US investment and enhanced cooperation in technology sharing and defense.