Vance Arrives in India for a 4-Day Family Visit
The Vice President of the United States and the Prime Minister of India are anticipated to address America’s trade deficit of $45.6 billion with India.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance arrived in India on Monday for a four-day visit during which he will engage in discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The United States stands as India’s largest trading partner; however, there is a substantial trade deficit amounting to $45.6 billion favoring India.
Following their meeting on February 13, Trump stated, “We can easily offset the deficit through the sale of oil and gas, including liquefied natural gas, of which we have ample supply.”
Randhir Jaiswal, a spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, expressed optimism to reporters on April 17, remarking, “We believe this visit will substantially strengthen our bilateral relationship.”
The United States and India are also examining the possibility of a bilateral trade agreement.
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The White House indicated that India has a 70 percent tariff on imported vehicles, whereas the U.S. applied a mere 2.5 percent tariff on the same category of goods.
During his trip to Washington, Modi expressed a willingness to lower tariffs on U.S. products, facilitate the repatriation of Indian nationals residing illegally in the U.S., and increase military procurements.
The 26 percent tariff on India was adjusted to 10 percent, pending negotiations.
Markets saw a decline following the announcement of reciprocal tariffs, but rebounded after Trump’s April 9 pause, with the S&P 500 rising by 474.13 points, or 9.52 percent, closing at 5,456.90, marking the largest one-day point increase in its history and the most significant single-day percentage rise since 2008.
Decision on Fighter Jets
Traditionally, India has sourced a significant portion of its military equipment from Russia, and prior to that, from the Soviet Union.
Conversely, the United States is advocating for the Indian Air Force to acquire Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jets.
On February 13, during Modi’s visit, Trump remarked: “We’re looking to significantly enhance military sales to India by billions of dollars. We’re also working towards ultimately providing India with F-35 stealth fighters.”
Vance’s visit and discussions with Modi are expected to establish the groundwork for a potential summit later this year, which Trump may attend alongside the leaders of Japan and Australia.
“India remains dedicated to enhancing our collaborations with the U.S. in these areas,” Modi affirmed.
Last month, Musk’s Starlink entered into deals with two major telecom companies in India to provide satellite-based internet services.
Numerous U.S. firms such as Apple and Google have broadened their presence in India over recent years.
A banner welcoming U.S. Vice President JD Vance is affixed to a pole on a street in New Delhi, India, on April 21, 2025. AP Photo
Vance’s spouse, Usha Vance, is the daughter of Indian Hindu immigrants. The Vance family plans to visit the Taj Mahal and attend a wedding in Jaipur.
Reuters contributed to this report.
