The United States wants to increase its energy and defense exports to India, said US Vice President JD Vance in the country on Tuesday. Addressing Jaipur, Vance underscored that the destiny of international stability and prosperity rests on the robustness of US-India relations.
If we can succeed together, India and the United States, then we’re going to have a 21st century that is peaceful and prosperous,” he said. “But if we don’t, the century could go dark for mankind.
Vance’s four-day, personally oriented trip comprises his wife, who is of Indian descent, and their three children. It comes after a private dinner with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was hailed by Vance as a strong and strategic leader. “Prime Minister Modi is a tough negotiator. He drives a hard bargain,” Vance said to an audience in stitches.
The trip occurs as the two countries are racing against time to complete a trade deal. The urgency results from a 90-day suspension of high tariffs by the Trump administration. India, America’s biggest trading partner, is looking to wrap up the first phase of the accord by fall, Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman declared on Monday in San Francisco.
Vance asserted that he and Modi had achieved considerable progress during their talks, adding that the two countries had agreed on the terms of reference for future trade negotiations. “It sets a roadmap toward a final deal between our nations,” he said.
The United States’ efforts to forge closer economic and security ties with India represent a strategic shift as the two democracies seek to balance emerging global challenges and strengthen their alliance in fashioning the coming century.
