Vance to be accompanied by his wife and children to heritage spots during the ‘largely private’ tour, officials say; Waltz will hold talks with NSA Doval on the successor mechanism to the India-U.S. Initiative for Critical and Emerging Technologies
After a few postponements, U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance, his wife, Usha Chilukuri Vance, and their children are set to visit India later this month, sources in Delhi confirmed. Mr. Vance, who met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Paris and Washington this year, had sent out feelers for the visit to India, and in particular for a chance for a “heritage” tour for his family, given his wife is an American of South Indian origin.
While officials said the U.S. Vice-President’s visit will coincide with a planned visit of U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Mr. Vance’s schedule is likely to be “largely private”. Mr. Vance is expected to call on Mr. Modi, who will host a dinner for the Vance family in Delhi. The Vances are set to travel to Jaipur and Agra, for what is called the “Golden Triangle” tour, popular with tourists, during their four-day trip.
The sources said the visit would likely take place between April 21 and 24, though there may be some adjustments depending on Mr. Modi’s schedule, given that the PM is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia from April 22 to 24 for a long-delayed bilateral visit.
During his trip, Mr. Waltz will hold talks with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on the successor mechanism to the India-U.S. Initiative for Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET), which has now given way to Transforming Relations Utilising Strategic Technologies (TRUST). Mr. Waltz’s schedule will include a speaking engagement at the Indo-U.S. Forum organised by the Delhi-based Ananta Centre.
The visits by Mr. Vance and Mr. Waltz, which follow that of the U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and come ahead of a visit by Defence Secretary Peter Hegseth this summer, are expected to prepare for a trip by U.S. President Donald Trump later this year, when he is expected to attend the Quad Summit and sign the first part of a Bilateral Trade Agreement between India and the U.S., which is being negotiated at present.
On tariffs
The visits will also be the first since the U.S. administration’s “reciprocal tariffs”, which include a 26% overall tax on Indian goods. They would be a chance for New Delhi to convey its response to the unilateral action by the U.S., which has led to global market indices falling, and is likely to cause further economic disruption.
Mr. Vance’s India tour with his family will come after two controversial trips abroad as U.S. Vice-President. His first foreign trip after being sworn in was in February to France and Germany where he ruffled feathers by criticising European countries for ignoring freedom of speech and migration issues, which was seen as his support for right-wing political parties there.
Mr. Vance then travelled to Greenland in March along with Ms. Vance and Mr. Waltz to double-down on Mr. Trump’s claims over the Denmark-controlled island.
The visit appeared to backfire as the Vances remained on the U.S. military base in remote Pituffik for the entire duration, where Mr. Vance berated Denmark for “not doing a good job” in ensuring Greenland’s security.
