NEW DELHI (AP) 鈥� U.S. Vice President JD Vance arrived in India on Monday for a as New Delhi looks to avoid U.S. tariffs and negotiate a bilateral trade deal with Washington.
Vance will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the first day of his largely personal visit. The two leaders are expected to hold discussions on bilateral ties outlined in February when Modi met President Donald Trump in Washington.
The U.S. is India鈥檚 largest trading partner and the two countries are now holding negotiations aiming to seal a bilateral trade agreement this year.
They have set an ambitious target of more than doubling their bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. If achieved, the trade deal could significantly enhance economic ties between the two countries and potentially strengthen diplomatic ties as well.
Vance鈥檚 first visit to New Delhi comes amid the backdrop of Trump's now-paused tariff program against most countries, including India. It also coincides with a rapidly intensifying trade war between Washington and Beijing, which is New Delhi鈥檚 main rival in the region.
鈥淲e are very positive that the visit will give a further boost to our bilateral ties,鈥� Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters last week.
Vance is accompanied by his wife, Usha Vance, whose parents are from India, along with their children and officials from the U.S. administration. The couple will visit historical sites in the cities of Jaipur and Agra.
Modi was among the first leaders to visit the U.S. and hold talks with Trump after he returned to the White House. During , Modi hailed a 鈥渕ega partnership鈥� with the U.S., and kickstarted a negotiation process to minimize the possible fallout of Trump鈥檚 tariffs.
The two leaders also said they planned to grow their defense partnership, with India signaling compliance with the Trump administration鈥檚 demands, saying it will purchase more oil, energy and defense equipment from the U.S.
Regardless, Trump targeted India with a 26% levy, which has since been paused. However, he has continued to call India a 鈥渢ariff abuser鈥� and 鈥渢ariff king.鈥�
The trade negotiations are especially urgent for New Delhi as it could be hit hard by Trump鈥檚 reciprocal tariffs, particularly in the agriculture, processed food, auto components, high-end machinery, medical equipment and jewelry sectors.
India is a close partner of the U.S. and an important strategic ally in combating the rising influence of China in the Indo-Pacific region.
It is also part of the Quad, which is comprised of the U.S., India, Japan and Australia and is seen as a counterbalance to China鈥檚 expansion in the region. Trump is expected to attend a summit of Quad leaders in India later this year.
Sheikh Saaliq, The Associated Press
