Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US Vice- President JD Vance have welcomed the progress made in the ongoing IndiaUS Bilateral Trade Agreement and reiterated their commitment to strengthening cooperation across key sectors, including energy, defence, and strategic technologies.
Prime Minister Modi hosted Vance, Second Lady Usha Vance, and their children — Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel — at his official residence at Lok Kalyan Marg in New Delhi on April 21. During their meeting, Prime Minister Modi fondly recalled his successful visit to Washington D.C. in January, where he held discussions with US President Donald Trump.
The two leaders had also met earlier in February on the sidelines of the AI Summit in Paris, where they exchanged views on expanding the India-US strategic partnership. The discussions served as a followup to their previous conversations, with both leaders reviewing the progress in bilateral relations and engaging on a range of regional and global issues of mutual interest.
PM Modi conveyed his greetings to Trump and expressed his anticipation of the US President’s visit to India later this year.
In India, the US has a friend, says US Vice-President
Following the talks, PM Modi hosted them for a private dinner at his residence. Speaking at an event in Jaipur, Vance emphasized the growing ties between the U.S. and India, saying, “In India, the US has a friend.” He also reflected on the economic hardships faced by American manufacturing communities in recent years and underlined the importance of fair trade partnerships.
He added that the growing ties between the two nations will play a defining role in shaping the century. “If India and the United States work together successfully, we’re going to see a 21st century that is prosperous and peaceful,” he said in a speech in Jaipur. “But I also believe that if we fail to work together successfully, the 21st century could be a very dark time for all of humanity.”
This is the first visit by an American Vice President to India in over a decade. The last such visit was in 2013, when then-Vice President Joe Biden traveled to the country under the Obama administration.