Vance India visit to feature mix of official interactions, cultural engagements

Hindustan Times

21-04-2025

New Delhi: US vice president JD Vance and his family arrived in India on Monday for a three-day visit that will include a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and feature a mix of official interactions and cultural engagements aimed at introducing his children to the country of origin of their mother Usha.
Vance and the Second Lady were received on their arrival at Palam airbase by Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. He was given a ceremonial welcome, including a guard of honour by the three services.
The three children emerged from the special flight clad in Indian attire – Vance's sons Ewan and Vivek were wearing kurta and pyjamas, while his daughter Mirabel was clad in a blue dress.
'A very warm welcome to @VP JD Vance, @SLOTUS Mrs. Usha Vance, & the U.S. delegation to India!' external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on social media, adding that the visit is expected to deepen the bilateral comprehensive global strategic partnership.
Soon after their arrival, Vance and his family visited the sprawling Swaminarayan Akshardham temple complex on the banks of the Yamuna river. Footage showed Vance walking around the temple holding the hands of his sons.
Issues such as ongoing negotiations for an India-US bilateral trade agreement, the new US reciprocal tariffs, currently paused till July, market access, defence cooperation and the situation in the Indo-Pacific are expected to figure when Vance meets Modi at his official residence on Monday evening.
Jaiswal told a media briefing last week that India and the US have a comprehensive partnership and 'all relevant issues' will be discussed during the visit. 'Our relationship is such that we are doing anything that is part of human endeavour…So, all these bilateral issues will be discussed and we are very positive that the visit will give a further boost to our bilateral ties,' he said.
Much of the focus of the trip, however, will be on cultural engagements and visits to tourist sites in Jaipur and Agra aimed at introducing Vance's children to the country where their mother Usha traces her roots.
The only substantial official engagement in Vance's schedule is the meeting with Modi and a dinner to be hosted by the prime minister that is expected to be attended by several cabinet ministers, including external affairs minister S Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and top BJP leaders, people familiar with the matter said.
A change in the timing of Vance's arrival – he flew into the capital several hours later than initially scheduled – meant that meetings with several leaders were no longer part of the itinerary. Modi too has a busy schedule as he will travel to Saudi Arabia for an official visit during April 22-23.
India is the second leg of a week-long two-nation tour by Vance that began on April 18 and has already taken him to Italy. This is his first trip to India, and the first visit by a US vice president in more than a decade. Modi and Vance last met on the margins of the AI Action Summit in Paris in February.
Soon after the dinner hosted by Modi, Vance will travel from New Delhi to Jaipur on Monday night. On April 22, Vance will receive a formal welcome from the Rajasthan governor and chief minister, and he and his family are expected to visit Amer Fort, Jantar Mantar, City Palace and Hawa Mahal.
In the afternoon, Vance will deliver a speech at the Rajasthan International Centre before holding some meetings with political and business leaders. Vance is expected to speak on priorities for India-US relations under the Donald Trump administration during the speech that is expected to be attended by diplomats, foreign policy experts, Indian officials and academics.
On April 23, the Vances will travel to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal and Shilpgram, an open-air emporium showcasing Indian artefacts. Vance and his delegation are expected to leave India early on April 24.
Vance's visit follows a trip to India by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who was the first member of Trump's cabinet to travel to New Delhi in March for a security conclave and the Raisina Dialogue.
This will be Vance's third foreign trip since taking office. Vance visited Paris and Munich in February, when his remarks at public events criticising European allies for censorship of free speech and defence spending ruffled many feathers as they were seen as supportive of right-wing forces.
Vance visited Greenland in March with his wife and Waltz but received a frosty reception because of the Trump administration's interest in taking control of the self-governing territory of Denmark.