New Delhi, Apr 21: United States Vice President J.D. Vance, accompanied by his Indian-origin wife Usha Chilukuri Vance and their three children, arrived in India on Monday for a four-day official visit. This marks a significant diplomatic engagement and the first trip by a sitting US Vice President to India in more than a decade. The last such visit was by Joe Biden in 2013.

Vice President Vance, who began his international tour with a stop in Italy on Friday, landed at the Air Force Station in Palam, New Delhi. Upon his arrival, Vance was received by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour at the airport. His visit underscores a renewed emphasis on strengthening US-India ties amid ongoing negotiations over a long-awaited bilateral trade agreement and deepening of strategic cooperation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to host the Vice President for formal talks, followed by a dinner at his official residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg on Monday evening. The meeting will include key Indian officials, with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar expected to be present during the discussions.

According to sources, the leaders will discuss trade-related matters, regional security, and avenues to boost technological and economic collaboration between the two countries. Vance's arrival in India comes at a time when talks over a bilateral trade deal -- originally triggered by former President Donald Trump's imposition of sweeping tariffs -- have gained renewed momentum.

While the US had initially set a 26 per cent tariff on imports, India currently faces a reduced baseline levy of 10 per cent, which is the standard for most US trading partners except China, during a 90-day pause in the broader tariff rollout. This will be the Vice President's first-ever visit to India and his second bilateral engagement with Prime Minister Modi, following their initial meeting in Paris earlier this year during the AI Summit.

That meeting was followed by PM Modi's visit to Washington for his first official meeting with the current US President after his return to office. The Vice President is travelling with a five-member high-level US delegation, which includes representatives from the Pentagon and the State Department.

The delegation's itinerary includes visits to Agra and Jaipur, underscoring the cultural dimension of the visit alongside strategic dialogue. Vance's wife, Usha Chilukuri Vance, who is of Indian origin, is also part of the trip with their children -- Ewan, 7; Vivek, 4; and Mirabel, 2.

Usha Vance's family traces its roots to Andhra Pradesh. However, it remains unclear whether they will be meeting with any relatives during their stay in India. This visit also marks the second high-profile trip to India by a senior official from the Trump administration during the current term.

In March, Tulsi Gabbard, who serves as the Director of National Intelligence, visited India and participated in the Raisina Dialogue while also holding meetings with Indian officials and the Prime Minister. Vice President Vance's presence in India after such a long gap reflects the significance both countries place on their evolving partnership.

His visit is expected to set the tone for further high-level engagements in the near future, especially in the context of growing global geopolitical shifts and economic realignments.

(IANS)

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