Vice President J.D. Vance talked Monday with India Prime Minister Narendra Modi as New Delhi looks to avoid U.S. tariffs, negotiate a bilateral trade deal and strengthen ties with the Trump administration.
Vance, who is on a largely personal four-day visit to India, met with Modi at his residence in New Delhi and two leaders "reviewed and positively assessed the progress in various areas of bilateral cooperation," Modi's office said in a statement.
They also "welcomed the significant progress" in the negotiations of an expected trade deal between the countries, the statement said.
The White House in a statement said that Vance and Modi set the terms for ongoing talks, "laying down a roadmap for further discussions."
It's a sign that talks are moving forward but remain far from completed, though Trump administration officials also spoke with their counterparts from India in a sign of the high level of engagement. The Trump administration has portrayed its strategy of tariffs as forcing negotiations that could limit the reach and influence of China.
The U.S. is India's largest trading partner, and the countries are now negotiating 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 countries and potentially strengthen diplomatic ties, as well.
Vance's first visit to New Delhi came amid the backdrop of President Donald Trump's partially paused tariff program against most countries, including India. Earlier this month, Trump announced a 90-day pause in which imports from most countries would face a baseline 10% tariff so that there was time to hold talks and possible structure broader deals.
Trump has been personally involved in talks with Japan, but India's size and potential enable it to possibly be a counterbalance to China, which is New Delhi's main rival in the region.
Vance is set to deliver a speech Tuesday from Rajasthan International Centre in Jaipur, India, where he might provide more details on the trade talks. Modi's office said that the leaders "noted continued efforts toward enhancing cooperation in energy, defense, strategic technologies and other areas" and "exchanged views on various regional and global issues of mutual interest and called for dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward."
India Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that Vance's visit will "further deepen the India–U.S. comprehensive global strategic partnership."
Vance was greeted with an Indian classical dance performance after he arrived at New Delhi's Palam airport Monday, following his visit to Rome, where he met with Pope Francis on Easter Sunday, a day before the pontiff's death.
Vance was accompanied by his wife, Usha Vance, a practicing Hindu whose parents are from India, along with their three children and officials from the Trump administration. The family visited the Akshardham Hindu temple in New Delhi after their arrival and are expected to tour the iconic Taj Mahal monument and the 12th-century Amer Fort — a UNESCO world heritage site — during their trip.
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, he hailed a "mega partnership" with the U.S., and kickstarted a negotiation process to minimize the possible fallout of Trump's tariffs.
The leaders also said they planned to grow their defense partnership, with India signaling compliance with the Trump administration's demands, saying it will purchase more oil, energy and defense equipment from the U.S. Modi also has cooperated with Trump's moves to deport illegal immigrants as India has accepted many of its citizens from the U.S. in the past few months.
Modi's government is also hoping to attract investment from Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Last month, Musk's Starlink entered into agreements with two of India's top telecom operators to provide satellite-based internet services. Musk also indicated that he would visit India later this year after speaking last week with Modi, signaling that there could be progress in the electric carmaker's push to enter the Indian market.
India is also a major defense partner of the U.S. It has in recent years embedded advanced American jets, helicopters, missiles and military gear into its armed forces. The countries have announced plans to sign a 10-year framework later this year to strengthen their defense partnership.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.