U.S. Vice President JD Vance has arrived in India on an official visit along with a diplomatic delegation and held a closed-door meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.
This meeting comes at a time when the United States and India are in the final stages of discussions for a mutual trade agreement. Officials from both nations stated that Washington and New Delhi aim to finalize a trade deal that would benefit both sides.
Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed additional export tariffs on nearly all countries but suspended them for three months. India was previously subjected to a 26% export tariff. According to diplomatic analysts, this suspension is likely aimed at facilitating favorable trade agreements with countries like India.
India and the United States have long maintained a strategic partnership, with both nations emphasizing their democratic values. The Trump administration has declared its relationship with India to be one of Washington’s top foreign policy priorities. Analysts believe the recent move by China to intensify a trade war has prompted the U.S. to strengthen ties with India.
A government official in New Delhi told Bloomberg that during Vice President Vance’s visit, several key decisions are expected regarding the multifaceted commercial relationship between India and the United States.