Vance in India for talks with Modi, visit to Akshardham Temple

Vice President Vance and second lady Usha Vance arrived in India on Monday, meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi while the Trump administration is negotiating deals with trading partners on tariffs.

The vice president went to Modi’s residence for a bilateral meeting, followed by an expanded meeting with members from the United States and India delegations. The Vances and their three children all joined Modi for a family dinner at the residence.

The talks come as India was hit with a 26 percent tariff briefly before President Trump paused the reciprocal tariff program for most countries for 90 days, keeping 10 percent tariffs in place.

The U.S. is India’s largest trading partner, and the country is aiming to avoid being hit hard from tariffs that could impact its agriculture, processed food and medical equipment industries, among others.

JD Vance is expected to deliver remarks Tuesday focused on “the U.S. and India’s shared economic priorities” at the Rajasthan International Centre in Jaipur, according to his office.

When Vance and his family first landed in New Delhi, they visited the Akshardham Temple and met with temple officials. The vice president walked the grounds of the Hindi cultural site holding hands with his two sons while the second lady, who is of Indian heritage, walked with their daughter.

Vance greeted U.S. Embassy staff at a hotel before the Modi meeting, and shortly after leaving the prime minister’s residence, the vice president and his family left New Delhi to travel to Jaipur.

The Vances were in Rome on Sunday, where they attended a private Easter Mass at St. Paul Outside the Walls. Earlier that morning, he met with Pope Francis, who died at the age of 88 early Monday morning.