US VP Vance meets Indian PM Modi for tough talks on trade

New Delhi hopes to secure relief within the 90-day pause on tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump this month.

An honour guard and troupes 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, who welcomed Vance to his residence on Monday evening with a bear hug, photographs released by the Indian government showed, later hosted Vance and his family for dinner. The men discussed boosting “cooperation in energy, defence strategic technologies and other areas”, Modi’s office said, without giving further details.

‘Boost’

Vance’s visit comes during an escalating trade war between the United States and China. India’s neighbour faces US levies of up to 145 percent on many products. Beijing has responded with duties of 125 percent 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”.

The two leaders were also expected to discuss China, seen as a challenger in different domains by both governments. The two democracies are also a part of the “Quad” group with Australia and Japan.

The US vice president is accompanied by his wife Usha, the daughter of Indian immigrants.

Together with their three children, dressed in traditional flowing Indian attire, they visited the Hindu Akshardham Temple in New Delhi. Modi said during his visit to Washington that the world’s largest and fifth-largest economies would work on a “mutually beneficial trade agreement”. Modi said he “looks forward” to a visit by Trump to India later this year,  New Delhi said in a statement, with a potential Quad summit slated.