New Delhi, Apr 19: US Vice President JD Vance met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi during a key visit focused on strengthening trade and strategic ties between India and the United States. The closed-door meeting, followed by delegation-level talks, comes amid ongoing uncertainty in global trade due to the intensifying US-China trade war.
India and the US are currently in the advanced stages of negotiating a bilateral trade deal expected to boost economic cooperation. The US has paused proposed tariffs on Indian goods for 90 days—a window being seen as crucial for finalising the “win-win” agreement. PM Modi and VP Vance expressed optimism about the progress made, with both sides emphasizing the need for a fair and mutually beneficial outcome.
The talks also touched upon strategic sectors including defence, technology, energy, and manufacturing. Bloomberg reported that sector-specific negotiations are expected this week, with a new target to conclude the trade pact by the end of May.
India has insisted that it will not be pressured into fast-tracking the deal and will ensure its national interests are safeguarded. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is also expected to engage in high-level discussions with US officials during her upcoming IMF visit to Washington.
The US is reportedly seeking to scale up investments in India across critical sectors such as tech, EVs, nuclear energy, and electronics manufacturing. Elon Musk is also expected to visit India later this year, amid growing interest from US firms to reduce reliance on China and shift production to India.
Defence cooperation was also on the agenda, though details remain under wraps. India has already been designated a Major Defence Partner by the US, allowing access to advanced technologies. Discussions reportedly covered avenues for deepening strategic cooperation, building on PM Modi’s previous visit to Washington, and aligning India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision with the US’ MAGA framework.