PM Modi, US Vice President Vance welcome progress in negotiations for trade pact
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US Vice President JD Vance on Monday night reviewed the progress of the ongoing negotiations on a bilateral trade agreement.
US President Donald Trump had imposed and then paused a sweeping tariff regime against around 60 countries, including India.
New Delhi and Washington are now holding negotiations to seal the bilateral trade agreement that is expected to address a host of issues including tariff and market access.
Modi and Vance held talks at the PM’s residence here. Vance, his wife Usha and three children had arrived on board a special plane on Monday morning and were received at the airport by Union Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw. Vance, a former US military veteran, inspected a military guard of honour.
A statement from the PM’s office said, “They welcomed the significant progress in the negotiations for a mutually beneficial India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement.”
The need for enhancing cooperation in energy, defence and strategic technologies was also on the agenda at the meeting which was followed by a dinner hosted by Modi for the visiting delegation.
The two sides reviewed and assessed the progress in various areas of bilateral cooperation. “Various regional and global issues of mutual interest were discussed, so was the need for dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward,” the statement said.
Sources said the need for “dialogue and diplomacy” referred to the resolution of the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Vance had, in the past, taken a public stand against the continued funding of Ukraine. The US and Russia are in touch over a possible peace deal.
Modi extended best wishes to the Vice President, his wife and their children for a “pleasant and productive” stay in India. Modi also conveyed his warm greetings to President Trump and said that he looked forward to the latter’s visit to India later this year.
Trump is scheduled to visit India as the Quad leaders’ meet will be held here.
Meanwhile, on arriving in New Delhi, Vance and family made their first stop at Swaminarayan Akshardham temple in East Delhi. Vance wrote in the visitors’ book, “Thank you all so much for your hospitality and kindness in welcoming me and my family to this beautiful place. It is a great credit to India that you built a beautiful temple with precision and care. Our kids, in particular, loved it. God bless.”
He is the first US Vice President to visit India in 12 years after Joe Biden visited New Delhi in 2013.
Vance will leave Delhi on Monday night and arrive in Jaipur. He will stay at Hotel Rambagh Palace. The Vice President will visit the Amer Fort and deliver an address on the US-India relations at Rajasthan International Centre on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, the couple will fly to Agra to see the Taj Mahal.
