New Delhi– U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, along with his wife Usha Chilukuri Vance and their three children, visited the Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple in New Delhi on Monday, shortly after arriving in India for a landmark four-day visit aimed at strengthening U.S.-India ties.
Vance, who began his international tour with a stop in Italy last Friday, landed at Palam Air Force Station earlier in the day, becoming the first sitting U.S. Vice President to visit India in over a decade. The last such visit was made by then–Vice President Joe Biden in 2013.
Upon arrival, Vance was greeted by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and received a ceremonial Guard of Honour at the airport. His visit underscores a renewed diplomatic push to bolster the strategic partnership between Washington and New Delhi, with particular focus on trade negotiations and defense cooperation.
Accompanying him is his wife, Usha Chilukuri Vance, who traces her roots to Andhra Pradesh, along with their children—Ewan (7), Vivek (4), and Mirabel (2). While Usha Vance’s family has Indian heritage, it remains unclear whether the family will meet with relatives during their visit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to host Vice President Vance for formal talks on Monday evening, followed by a private dinner at the Prime Minister’s official residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar are expected to join the discussions, which will cover a broad range of topics including trade, regional security, and technological and economic collaboration.
Vance’s trip comes as the U.S. and India revisit trade discussions originally sparked by former President Donald Trump’s imposition of steep tariffs. While the U.S. had set a 26% tariff on some imports, India currently benefits from a 10% baseline rate during a 90-day pause—consistent with terms extended to most U.S. trading partners except China.
This marks Vice President Vance’s first visit to India and his second bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Modi. The two leaders previously met on the sidelines of the AI Summit in Paris earlier this year. That meeting was followed by Modi’s official trip to Washington, where he held talks with the current U.S. President.
Vance is traveling with a high-level, five-member delegation that includes officials from the Pentagon and the State Department. Their itinerary also includes cultural visits to Agra and Jaipur, blending strategic diplomacy with cultural outreach.
This visit follows a similarly high-profile trip in March by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who attended the Raisina Dialogue and held consultations with Indian leadership.
Vice President Vance’s visit signals the deepening of the U.S.-India partnership amid a rapidly evolving geopolitical and economic landscape. It is expected to lay the groundwork for future high-level engagements between the two democracies. (Source: IANS)
