US Vice President JD Vance is set to begin a four-day trip to India from April 21, as reported, since New Delhi and Washington are interested in signing the first tranche of a bilateral trade agreement that was announced in February during the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump.
Usha Vance’s Maiden Trip as Second Lady
JD Vance will be joined by his wife Usha Vance, who are set to have an audience with PM Modi and other Indian authorities. Vance will also visit Jaipur and Agra during his four-day tour. US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz is also set to travel to India on the same date.
This would be Usha Vance’s maiden trip to her home country as the Second Lady of the United States. She has her roots in Andhra Pradesh and brings along a full luggage of credentials along with a whiff of Indian culture in the American political firmament.
JD Vance Pushing for Bilateral Trade Deal
Sources previously informed CNBC-TV18 that Vance could travel to India for additional trade negotiations as both nations look to seal the first tranche of a bilateral trade deal, with a goods focus, by fall this year.
This followed Donald Trump’s imposition of 26% retaliatory tariffs on Indian products earlier this month, but declaring a 90-day tariff halt on all nations except China. Sources indicated that although it is challenging for the agreement to be signed within this timeframe, its structure and shape could be determined in 90 days.
India’s Global Trade Engagement
India has been in sustained interaction with many nations including the European Union and the United Kingdom since Trump came to power at the US Presidency. Top leaders from the EFTA nations Israel, Qatar, and Sweden have already paid visits to India to finalize further intensifying of trade relationships.
India and the United States have agreed on terms of reference for negotiations on the first part of a bilateral trade agreement, an Indian trade official said on Friday, noting that it was likely that a “win-win” agreement would be formed within the next 90 days.
