JD Vance Meets PM Modi: India-US Push for Trade Deal Amid US-China Tensions
New Delhi, April 21:
In a significant diplomatic development, US Vice President JD Vance met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday to accelerate progress on the much-anticipated India-US bilateral trade deal. The visit, part of Vance’s four-day India tour, comes as both nations look to consolidate their strategic and economic partnership amid growing uncertainty in global trade, especially the ongoing US-China tariff war.
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The closed-door meeting, followed by high-level delegation talks, reflects an urgent effort to finalise a trade agreement by July 2025, even as both sides acknowledge that India’s interests must not be compromised in the process.
The meeting comes just weeks after US President Donald Trump announced a 90-day “pause” on newly proposed reciprocal tariffs over Indian exports — a move analysts interpret as a gesture to give the ongoing trade negotiations breathing space. The two democracies — the world’s largest and oldest — are expected to strike a “win-win” agreement by Autumn, though officials in both camps are now aiming for a May-end closure.
While the US sees the deal as a way to counterbalance China’s manufacturing dominance, India has been assertive in saying it won’t be rushed into an agreement that doesn’t safeguard its domestic interests.
“India will not be forced into a deal at gunpoint,” a New Delhi official told Bloomberg, confirming that sector-specific negotiations are slated for this week.
India is also eyeing increased US investment across sectors including technology, EVs, manufacturing, nuclear energy, and semiconductors. The recent breakthrough in civil-nuclear cooperation—with US-based Holtec International securing approval to build nuclear plants in India—has been hailed as a cornerstone of deepening strategic energy ties.
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Meanwhile, tech billionaire Elon Musk‘s call with PM Modi and his planned India visit have further heightened expectations. Tesla, Starlink, and SpaceX are being seen as potential new entrants into the Indian market.
The push from US companies to shift manufacturing supply chains away from China has bolstered India’s position as a reliable production and assembly hub. Already a leader in mobile phone manufacturing, India is now poised to become a preferred destination for producing laptops, tablets, and smart devices for the US and other Western economies.
India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to take part in advanced-level negotiations during her upcoming IMF meeting in Washington, where the final contours of the trade deal may be outlined.
JD Vance, PM Modi, India US Trade Deal, US China Trade War, Bilateral Relations, US Investment in India, Holtec Nuclear Deal, Elon Musk India Visit, Tesla Starlink India, Indo-US Economic Ties
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