Vance begins India visit with focus on strengthening US-India ties

US Vice President JD Vance landed in New Delhi on Monday, marking the start of his first official visit to India aimed at reinforcing strategic and economic ties between the two countries. He arrived at Palam Airport accompanied by his wife Usha Vance, their children, and senior US officials.

Vance is expected to hold high-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this evening at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg. The meeting, scheduled for 6:30 pm, is likely to cover key areas including defence cooperation, trade, and technology partnerships.

"This visit will give a further boost to our bilateral ties," said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), during a media briefing last week. He also confirmed that all relevant issues, including the possibility of a trade agreement, would be discussed.

“We have a comprehensive strategic global partnership,” Jaiswal said. “Of course, our relationship is such that we are doing anything that is part of our human endeavour... all these bilateral issues will be discussed.”

The visit runs from April 21 to 24 and comes at a time when Washington and New Delhi are deepening their cooperation in Indo-Pacific security, emerging technologies, and resilient supply chains.

In addition to official meetings in the capital, the Vance family is scheduled to visit Jaipur and Agra. The Vice President will travel to Jaipur on Tuesday, followed by a visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra on April 23. The iconic UNESCO World Heritage Site is undergoing preparations ahead of his arrival, similar to the arrangements made during President Donald Trump's visit in 2020.

The trip has stirred excitement in Vadluru, a village in Andhra Pradesh’s West Godavari district, which is the ancestral home of Usha Vance. Locals hope the couple might make an informal stop there during their stay.

The India trip follows Vance's recent three-day visit to Italy, where he met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and senior Vatican officials. His visit concluded with a meeting with Pope Francis on Easter Sunday.

Vice President Vance is scheduled to depart India on April 24 at 6:40 am.