New Delhi, April 17: — US Vice-President JD Vance will travel to India with his wife Usha and their three children from April 21 to 24, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced Wednesday.
The official itinerary includes stops in New Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. According to MEA, the visit will “provide an opportunity for both sides to review the progress in bilateral relations and the implementation of outcomes from the India-US joint statement issued on February 13.”
That joint statement, released after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s February meeting with US President Donald Trump, focused on strengthening trade ties. The MEA noted that Vance is scheduled to meet Modi during the visit.
A senior official familiar with the planning said, “While the meeting with the Prime Minister will be formal, the rest of the visit is expected to be largely private.” The Vance family is set to visit the Taj Mahal and attend cultural events in Rajasthan.
This marks the second high-level visit from the Trump administration in less than a month. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard visited India in March. The latest engagement comes as both sides aim to finalise a bilateral trade agreement amid shifting global trade dynamics.
US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz is also expected in India during Vance’s stay. Waltz will meet his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval and deliver remarks at the Indo-US Forum, hosted by the Ananta Centre. The two serve as co-chairs of the India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET).
The string of diplomatic visits is expected to continue. US Defence Secretary Peter Hegseth is likely to visit India later this summer, ahead of President Trump’s expected participation in the upcoming Quad summit.
India’s Trade Secretary Sunil Barthwal on Tuesday said the ongoing trade negotiations were progressing. “The agreement will bring more opportunities than concerns for both nations,” he said. Sector-specific tariff talks between Indian and US negotiators are set to begin virtually this week.
