Vance heads to India amid tariff turbulence
US Vice President J.D. Vance will visit New Delhi next week as the two nations work to resolve tariff issues and fast-track a trade deal before the higher tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on US trade partners, including India, take effect.
Trump announced a 26% “discounted reciprocal tariff” on goods imported from India on April 2. However, on April 9, he announced a 90-day pause on all such tariffs, except those targeting China.
In his maiden visit to India, Vance is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 21, India’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. He will be accompanied by his wife, Usha Vance, who is of Indian origin, their children, and senior members of the US administration.
New Delhi said the upcoming visit offers a chance for both sides to take stock of their relationship and follow up on what was agreed during Modi’s visit to Washington in February of this year, shortly after Trump took office for his second term. During that visit, the two sides committed to working toward the first phase of a trade deal, aiming to finalize it by the end of the year, with a long-term goal of reaching $500 billion in bilateral trade by 2030.
Following Trump’s tariff announcement, India has sought to expedite the trade agreement with the US, according to local media reports.
India is among the first countries to initiate formal discussions with the US on a trade deal. The countries have mutually agreed on a deadline for its completion, according to an anonymous government official cited by Reuters.
Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal held meetings with industry representatives last week to discuss the trade deal. Goyal said the negotiating team is working quickly but carefully to secure a “good deal” for the country. He urged exporters to “stay calm and focus on the positive aspects,” assuring them that the government is working hard to achieve a favorable outcome.
“India has decided to go for a path of trade liberalization with the US,” Trade Secretary Sunil Barthwal told Indian media on Tuesday. He added that there is “very good progress” in the talks, noting that both sides are discussing tariff and non-tariff barriers. “If both sides reduce these barriers, it will lead to higher trade growth for the US and India,” he said.
The US remained India’s largest trading partner for the fourth consecutive year in the 2024–25 financial year, with total bilateral trade reaching $131 billion, according to official data. However, India exports significantly more to the US than it imports. In the last fiscal year, exports rose by 11.6% to $86 billion, while imports increased by 7.4% to $45 billion – resulting in a trade surplus of over $41 billion.
