World Desk

US Vice President JD Vance arrived in Delhi on Monday, where he is set to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss ongoing trade tensions and work towards advancing a long-awaited trade agreement between the two nations. 

The high-level talks are expected to address key issues surrounding Washington's tariff policies, which have strained relations between the US and several countries, including India.

Vance’s visit coincides with a critical period as countries scramble to finalize trade deals before US President Donald Trump's temporary 90-day halt on reciprocal tariffs expires on July 9. 

India and the US have been engaged in heated discussions over tariffs, with India facing a 27% tariff on its goods that Trump imposed, although the measure was paused in April. 

Despite the pause, tensions remain, with India benefiting from a significant trade surplus of approximately $45 billion, while the US maintains lower tariff rates than India.

In addition to his meetings with Modi, Vance, accompanied by his wife Usha Vance and children, is expected to visit the iconic cities of Agra and Jaipur. Usha Vance’s family hails from Andhra Pradesh, adding a personal element to the trip.

Ahead of the formal discussions, India's Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that the two sides would also discuss regional and global matters of mutual concern. Vance's visit follows a series of engagements between US and Indian leaders, with both nations striving to strengthen their bilateral trade relations, which reached $190 billion in recent years.

The visit comes as President Trump is poised to attend the upcoming Quad summit later this year, highlighting the importance of US-India relations in the context of the broader Indo-Pacific region. 

India’s foreign ministry remains optimistic that this visit will further enhance the partnership between the two nations.

Source: BBC