Vance to visit India for talks on economic and trade ties
NEW DELHI
U.S. Vice President JD Vance will embark on a four-day visit to India on today as the two countries seek to unlock economic opportunities and negotiate a bilateral trade deal.
Vance will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi for talks on the economy, trade and geopolitical ties.
Vance’s visit coincides with a rapidly intensifying trade war between Washington and Beijing, which is New Delhi's main rival in the region.
A trade deal between India and the U.S. could significantly enhance economic ties between the two countries and potentially strengthen diplomatic ties.
The U.S. is also India’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade valued at $190 billion until recently.
Modi was among the first leaders to visit the U.S. and hold talks with Trump after he returned to the White House.
During his visit, Modi hailed a “mega partnership” with the U.S. and kickstarted a negotiation process to minimise the possible fallout of Trump’s tariffs after it had already cut tariffs on a range of U.S. goods.
Regardless, Trump targeted India with a 26 percent levy as part of his now-paused tariff programme, which has provided temporary relief for Indian exporters.
During his visit, Modi sought to soften impending trade barriers by saying he was open to reducing more tariffs on U.S. goods, repatriating undocumented Indian nationals and buying military gear.
The two countries also agreed to start talks towards clinching the bilateral trade agreement.
The U.S. and India have set an ambitious target of more than doubling their bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030 under the expected trade deal agreement.
