Modi welcomes Vance, “significant progress” in the bilateral trade agreement

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with U.S. Vice President JD Vance at his official residence in New Delhi on Monday. Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and others were also present. |Picture source: ANI

The Prime Minister’s Office said it welcomed “significant progress” in talks with the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. Vice President James David (JD) Vance met in Delhi on Monday (April 21, 2025) and reviewing plans for India-US cooperation. Mr. Modi met with Mr. Vance and the senior officials of both sides and then received Mr. Vance, his wife Usha Chilukuri Vance and his children for supper at his residence. However, they have not announced any new agreements, nor have they established a trust technology partnership as previously expected, as Mr. Modi said, and he is looking forward to a visit from U.S. President Donald Trump “later this year”, when India will host the U.S.-India-Australia Quad Quad Summit.

Follow JD Vance in India on April 21

Talks for a BTA, that were announced during Mr. Modi’s meeting with Mr. Trump in February, went into the next round in Washington on Monday, as a delegation of trade negotiaters from the Commerce Ministry travelled to the US While both sides have discussed “zero for zero tariffs” in a number of areas for the first tranche of the BTA due to be announced during Mr. Trump’s India visit, there is little indication of a Breakthrough on issues such as market So far, access to agriculture and the withdrawal of digital equilibrium taxation and other measures in India.

Modi also discussed the India-US roadmap, which aims to be established with Mr. Trump’s slogan “Make America Great Again (Maga)” and New Delhi’s “Viksit Bharat (Viksit Bharat (India) 2047”, the statement said. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Foreign Minister Jashanka (S.

“[The leaders] “The significant progress made in negotiations on mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreements for the welfare of the two peoples,” the PMO said in its statement. The statement did not mention whether leaders discussed more candid issues, including U.S. tariffs, and the Trump administration’s crackdown on student visas, which could force many Indians to return without completing their studies.

“The two leaders also exchanged views on issues of various regional and global interests and called for dialogue and diplomacy as the direction for progress,” the statement said.

The Death of Pope Francis

Earlier, there were some uncertain moments in the visit, as news of Pope Francis’ sudden demise in the Vatican raised questions about Catholics who met the Pope on Sunday only after Easter Mass, whether his plans would be cut or whether the Prime Minister would postpone the official dinner. However, the visit went as planned and Mr. Vance wrote an article on X after learning of the Pope’s death.

Mr. Vance expressed his condolences, “I was very happy to see him yesterday.”

Mr. Vance, his family and U.S. delegation consisted of American NSC Point-Point people, for South and Central Asia Ricky Gill, Pentagon and State Department officials, and landed on Monday morning at Palam Airport in Delhi, where he was received by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Mr. Vance and Ms. Usa Vance then brought their two sons, Ewan and Vivek and daughter Mirabel to a plane wearing Indian clothes. Although earlier plans to visit the Red Fort were cancelled, Vances went to the Akshadham Temple and then purchased Indian crafts at the government-owned cottage shop.

Vance will hold private and cultural events in Jaipur on Tuesday, and visits to Fort Amir and the U.S. Vice President will hold a public address at the Rajasthan International Centre in the afternoon. Foreign Ministry and U.S. Embassy officials denied reports that they would attend a wedding in Jaipur, security has been locked in” the city’s Rambagh Palace Hotel, and all other guests were turned away. On Wednesday, they will visit the Taj Mahal Monument in Agra before returning to Jaipur on the same day and flew back to the United States on Thursday. However, according to extended Chilukuri family members of Visakhapatnam and Chennai, they did not visit Ms. Usha Vance’s family in India. Hindu They have not informed their visit in advance and have not planned a meeting.