New Delhi/Washington— U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance will embark on his first official visit to India from April 21 to 24, a trip the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) says will serve as a crucial opportunity to assess the progress in bilateral relations and the implementation of commitments made during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s February visit to Washington.
Vice President Vance will be accompanied by Second Lady Usha Vance, their children, and senior officials from the U.S. administration. The visit includes meetings in New Delhi, as well as stops in Jaipur and Agra, before the delegation returns to Washington on April 24.
“This visit will allow both sides to review the advancement of India-U.S. relations and evaluate the implementation of the outcomes of the India-U.S. Joint Statement issued on February 13, 2025,” the MEA said in a statement Wednesday evening. “The two sides will also exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest.”
According to the White House, India will be the second leg of Vice President Vance’s two-nation tour, following a stop in Italy. This marks the first visit to India by a sitting U.S. Vice President in over a decade. The last was Joe Biden, who visited in 2013 during the Obama administration.
During his time in India, Vice President Vance is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Modi on April 21 and take part in cultural engagements with his family.
The White House announcement did not include details on a potential visit by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. If confirmed, Waltz would become the third senior Trump administration official to visit India this year, following Vice President Vance and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
Vice President Vance and Prime Minister Modi previously met in Paris on the sidelines of the AI Summit in February, where the Second Lady and the couple’s two sons were also introduced to the Prime Minister.
Vance has become a prominent figure in President Donald Trump’s administration, often joining high-profile meetings with foreign leaders and occasionally being invited by the President to deliver remarks during official events. One of his most notable moments came during an Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Second Lady Usha Vance, born Usha Bala Chilukuri in San Diego, is of Indian heritage—her parents immigrated from Andhra Pradesh. Her Indian roots draw a parallel to former Vice President Kamala Harris, whose mother hailed from Tamil Nadu. Despite her heritage, Harris never visited India during her time in office. Likewise, former Vice President Mike Pence had expressed interest in visiting India during Trump’s first term but never made the trip. (Source: IANS)
