US Vice-President JD Vance met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after a red carpet welcome in New Delhi on Monday, as India bids for an early trade deal to stave off punishing tariffs.
The two countries are negotiating the first tranche of a trade deal, which New Delhi hopes to secure within the 90-day pause on tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump this month.
Vance’s four-day visit comes two months after Modi held talks at the White House with Trump, who unveiled 26 per cent tariffs on India.
A red carpet welcome with an honour guard andtroupes of folk dancers greeted Vance after he stepped out into the sweltering sunshine of New Delhi on Monday morning, the start of a four-day tour that will include trips to the historic fort city of Jaipur and the Taj Mahal.
“Ad-Vance-ing” US-India ties, broadcaster NDTV headlined its stories.
Modi welcomed Vance to his residence on Monday evening, giving his US visitor a bear hug, photographs released by the Indian government showed.
A spokesperson for Vance said they would first hold talks, before a family dinner hosted by Modi.
Vance’s visit comes during an escalating trade war between the United States and China. India’s neighbour and rival faces US levies of up to 145 per cent on many products.
Beijing has respondedwith duties of 125 per cent on US goods. New Delhi has reacted cautiously so far.
India’s Department of Commerce said after the tariffs were announced it was “carefully examining the implications”, adding it was “also studying the opportunities that may arise”.
Vance and Modi were expected to “review the progress” in relations, according to India’s foreign ministry. — AFP
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