PM Modi, U.S. Vice-President Vance see progress in bilateral trade talks

PM reviews ties with U.S. Vice-President, hosts his family for dinner; no mention of tariff and visa revocation issues in PMO statement; no new agreements announced as earlier expected

Welcoming “significant progress” in talks for a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance met in Delhi on Monday (April 21, 2025), and reviewed plans for India-U.S. cooperation, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. According to Mr. Vance’s office, the two leaders also “formally announced the finalisation of the Terms of Reference for the negotiations”, even as Indian and U.S. officials were set to begin another round of BTA talks in Washington this week. Mr. Modi met with Mr. Vance along with senior officials from both sides, before hosting Mr. Vance, wife Usha Chilukuri Vance and their children for dinner at his residence. However, they didn’t launch the TRUST Technology Partnership as had been earlier expected, as Mr. Modi said he looked forward to U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to India “later this year”, when India will host the U.S.-India-Japan-Australia Quad Summit.

“The BTA is expected to create new opportunities of growth for workers, farmers, and entrepreneurs in both countries,” Mr. Vance’s office said, calling the agreement an “opportunity to negotiate a new and modern trade agreement” to increase “bilateral trade and supply-chain integration”.

Talks for the BTA, agreed to during Mr. Modi’s meeting with Mr. Trump in February, are expected to finalise a ‘first tranche’ of the trade pact during Mr. Trump’s India visit, and will include reduced or zero tariffs in a number of areas. However, there has been little indication of a breakthrough so far on issues such as market access in agriculture, and the revocation of the digital equalisation levy and other measures by India.

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Mr. Modi also discussed the India-U.S. road map that seeks to build on Mr. Trump’s “Make America Great Again (MAGA)” slogan and New Delhi’s plans for “Viksit Bharat (Developed India) 2047”, the statement said. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar were present at the talks at the Prime Minister’s residence, along with senior U.S. officials, and U.S. Charge d’Affaires Jorgan Andrews.

“[The leaders] welcomed the significant progress in the negotiations for a mutually beneficial India-U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement focused on the welfare of the people of the two countries,” the PMO said in its statement. “They noted continued efforts towards enhancing cooperation in energy, defence, strategic technologies and other areas.” The statement made no mention on whether the leaders discussed more testy issues, including U.S. tariffs, and a crackdown on student visas by the Trump administration which may force many Indians to return without completing their studies.

“The two leaders also exchanged views on various regional and global issues of mutual interest and called for dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward,” the statement said, but did not mention specifically whether the Ukraine war or the conflict in Gaza were discussed.

Pope Francis’ demise

Earlier, the visit had some uncertain moments as news came in of Pope Francis’ sudden demise in the Vatican, leading to questions about whether Mr. Vance, a Catholic, who had met the Pope only on Sunday after Easter mass, would curtail his plans, or whether the Prime Minister would put off the official dinner. However, the visit proceeded as scheduled, with Mr. Vance writing a post on X just after learning of the Pope’s passing.

“I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill,” Mr. Vance said, expressing condolences.

Mr. Vance, his family and the U.S. delegation consisting of U.S. NSC point-person for South and Central Asia Ricky Gill, Pentagon and State department officials had landed in Delhi’s Palam airport on Monday morning, where he was received by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Mr. Vance and Ms. Usha Vance then brought their two sons, Ewan and Vivek, and daughter Mirabel off the plane dressed in Indian clothes. Although an earlier plan to visit the Red Fort was cancelled, the Vances went to the Akshardham temple and then shopped at the government-owned Cottage Emporium for Indian handicrafts.

The Vances will spend Tuesday in Jaipur at private engagements and cultural events, as well as a visit to the Amer Fort and the U.S. Vice-President will give a public address at the Rajasthan International Centre in the afternoon. Ministry of External Affairs nor the U.S. Embassy officials denied reports that they will attend a wedding in Jaipur, where security has “locked down” the city’s Rambagh palace hotel and all other guests have been turned away. On Wednesday, they will visit the Taj Mahal monument in Agra before returning to Jaipur the same day and flying back to the U.S. on Thursday. They are, however, not visiting Ms. Usha Vance’s family in India, according to members of the extended Chilukuri family in Visakhapatnam and Chennai, who told The Hindu that they had not been informed of the visit in advance, nor was any meeting planned.

Published - April 21, 2025 10:30 pm IST