US VP Vance begins India visit amid hopes for early trade deal

On April 21, U.S. Vice President JD Vance arrived in India for a four-day visit aimed at bolstering bilateral ties and laying the groundwork for an early trade agreement, as New Delhi moves to avoid steep U.S. tariffs under the Trump administration.

Vance, who is accompanied by his wife Usha—whose parents immigrated from India—and other U.S. officials, landed at New Delhi's Palam airport following a stop in Rome, where he met privately with Pope Francis on Easter Sunday. His itinerary includes both official engagements and personal activities, such as visiting the Taj Mahal and attending a wedding in Jaipur, Caliber.Az reports, citing Western media.

On the first day of the visit, Vance is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss a broad range of bilateral issues. The talks are expected to build on the agenda set during Modi’s visit to Washington in February, where he met President Donald Trump. Key topics include reducing trade friction, enhancing defence cooperation, and pursuing greater "fairness" in two-way trade.

"The fact that the U.S.-China tensions are ramping up, and Vance in particular seems to have taken a very high-profile role in American diplomacy, also means that the visit assumes an added layer of significance," said Harsh Pant, head of the foreign policy program at the Observer Research Foundation in Delhi.

India is reportedly prepared to reduce tariffs on over half of its imports from the U.S.—which totaled $41.8 billion in 2024—in order to secure a trade deal within the 90-day moratorium on tariff hikes announced by President Trump on April 9. Despite these moves, Trump has continued to criticize India as a "tariff abuser" and "tariff king."

Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal expressed optimism about the visit, saying, "We are very positive that the visit will give a further boost to our bilateral ties."

The U.S. remains India’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching $129 billion in 2024, including a $45.7 billion surplus in India’s favor, according to U.S. government data.

While no deals are expected to be signed during Vance’s visit, officials suggest the groundwork is being laid for more substantive agreements. A framework for an expanded defence partnership is expected later this year, with New Delhi eyeing procurement and joint production of U.S. defense systems, including Javelin anti-tank missiles and Stryker combat vehicles.

Further discussions on defence collaboration are expected during the anticipated visit of U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in the coming months.

Vance’s visit is also being viewed as a precursor to President Trump’s likely trip to India later this year for the Quad leaders' summit, which will bring together India, the U.S., Australia, and Japan.

By Khagan Isayev