Significant progress in trade deal talks, say India and US after Modi, Vance meet

“(Both sides) welcomed the significant progress in the negotiations for a mutually beneficial India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement focused on the welfare of the people of the two countries,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.

Echoing this was the White House readout that “welcomed significant progress in the negotiations for a U.S.-India Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) and formally announced the finalization of the Terms of Reference for the negotiations, laying down a roadmap for further discussions about our shared economic priorities.”

The White House statement said that the BTA is an opportunity to negotiate a “new and modern trade agreement focused on promoting job creation and citizen well-being in both countries, with the goal of enhancing bilateral trade and supply-chain integration in a balanced and mutually beneficial manner.”

It added: “Guided by their respective visions of ‘Amrit Kaal for India’ and ‘Golden Age for America,’ BTA is expected to create new opportunities of growth for workers, farmers, and entrepreneurs in both countries.”

This push at the highest level comes days before Indian negotiators, led by Rajesh Agrawal (Additional Secretary in the Commerce Ministry), are preparing for a three-day visit beginning April 23 to the US to draw up a “realistic 90-day roadmap” to clinch an interim agreement covering a range of issues, including tariffs, non-tariff barriers, and services.

“The Terms of Reference (ToR) have been finalised and will be further developed with the aim of moving closer to a trade deal within the 90-day pause window. Nineteen chapters are under negotiation, covering areas such as tariffs, non-tariff barriers, rules of origin, and customs facilitation,” a senior government official had said Saturday.

Besides the trade agreement, the Indian statement also noted “continued efforts towards enhancing cooperation in energy, defence, strategic technologies and other areas.”

“The two leaders also exchanged views on various regional and global issues of mutual interest, and called for dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward,” it said, while referring to the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Both sides referred to the PM-Trump meeting in the US in January and said today’s visit “provided an opportunity…to review the progress achieved in bilateral relations and the implementation of the outcomes of the India-US Joint Statement issued on 13 February 2025.”

According to the PMO statement, the PM “fondly recalled his visit to Washington…and his fruitful discussions with President Trump, which laid down the roadmap for close cooperation between India and the U.S., leveraging the strengths of Make America Great Again (MAGA) and Viksit Bharat 2047”.

The White House statement said that the Vice President extended “his sincere gratitude to Prime Minister Modi for being such a gracious host to Second Lady Mrs. Usha Vance, their children, and the accompanying U.S. delegation during this pleasant and productive visit to India”.

Vance and Modi held a bilateral meeting and then an expanded one with members of each country’s delegation. The PM hosted Vance, Indian-origin Second Lady Usha Vance and their three children Ewan (7 years), Vivek (5) and Mirabel (3) over dinner at his 7 Lok Kalyan Marg residence after the talks.

Modi and Vance had last met in Paris, on the sidelines of the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit on February 12 this year.

Modi posted on X, “Pleased to welcome US @VP @JDVance and his family in New Delhi. We reviewed the fast-paced progress following my visit to the US and meeting with President Trump. We are committed to mutually beneficial cooperation, including in trade, technology, defence, energy and people-to-people exchanges. India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership will be a defining partnership of the 21st Century for a better future of our people and the world.”

Vance replied, on X, “It was an honor to see Prime Minister Modi this evening. He’s a great leader and he was incredibly kind to my family. I look forward to working under President Trump’s leadership to strengthen our friendship and cooperation with the people of India!”

US Vice Presidential visits to India are not very common; the last US Vice-President to visit India was Joe Biden in July 2013, during President Barack Obama’s presidency. Before that, George Bush Sr had visited India as V-P in 1984 when Ronald Reagan was President, and Hubert Humphrey visited India in 1966.

New Delhi and Washington are holding negotiations to seal a bilateral trade agreement that is expected to address a range of issues, including tariff and market access. The two countries are also working on critical technology cooperation, and the US wants India to buy more American defence equipment.

Vance landed in Delhi at about 10 am and was received by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at Palam airbase.

The children emerged from the plane after the ceremonial guard of honour – the boys wearing kurta-pyjama and Mirabel in a lehenga.

Vance is accompanied by senior officials from the Pentagon and the State Department. US National Security Council senior director Ricky Gill, who has also come, will attend a Track-II dialogue separately — the India-US Forum, organised jointly by Ananta Aspen Centre and the Ministry of External Affairs.

Vance and his family went from Delhi to Jaipur on Monday night; they are set to stay at the Rambagh Palace, a luxury hotel that once served as a royal guesthouse.

On Tuesday, they are likely to visit some historical sites, including the Amer Fort which is a UNESCO world heritage site. In the afternoon, Vance is scheduled to address a gathering at the Rajasthan International Centre in Jaipur, sources said.

On Wednesday morning, the US Vice-President and his family are expected to travel to Agra, where they will visit the Taj Mahal. They are expected to return to Jaipur the same evening. Vance and his family will then leave for the US from Jaipur on Thursday (April 24).