New Delhi: US Vice President J.D. Vance and National Security Advisor (NSA) Michael (Mike) Waltz will make separate visits to India in April and May, respectively, ThePrint has learnt.
While Vance is likely to be in the country from 21 April to 24 April, possibly including visits to Jaipur and Agra apart from New Delhi, Waltz is expected to be in the Indian capital early next month, a person familiar with the matter said.
This would be Vance’s first visit to India since becoming US vice-president. A portion of his visit is personal, and will be with his wife Usha Vance and their children, it is learnt.
Waltz is expected to travel to India to push forward the strategic dialogue between New Delhi and Washington. His discussions with Indian NSA Ajit Doval will also likely revolve around the new TRUST initiative, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump in February, during the former’s visit to the US.
India-US Transforming the Relationship Utilising Strategic Technology (TRUST) initiative is the rebranding of the earlier one on critical and emerging technologies (iCET) launched by the previous American administration under President Joe Biden and Modi.
The US NSA is likely to hold extensive consultations with Doval, and likely to call on Modi and meet with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
The visit of senior administration officials from the US comes amid intense negotiations between New Delhi and Washington for the first tranche of a bilateral trade deal, which is expected to be signed by this autumn.
Trump unleashed global baseline tariffs of 10 percent on 2 April, while announcing additional tariffs on certain countries. India was hit with 27 percent reciprocal tariff, which took effect on 9 April for a few hours, before it was paused by Trump for 90 days.
Waltz’s visit also comes in the wake of extradition of Tahawwur Rana, key accused in 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case, from the US to India earlier this week. Modi’s visit to the US in February had resulted in both nations promising to deepen counter-terrorism cooperation and enhancing the strategic nature of the relationship.
US Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard had visited India last month, and held separate consultations with Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Doval and Jaishankar.
The India-US partnership is increasingly taking on a strategic dimension. Trump and his senior officials, including Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, have been pushing New Delhi to purchase American defence platforms to replace India’s perceived dependence on Russia.
Trump went so far as to publicly offer F-35 fighter jets to India during Modi’s visit to Washington. However, it remains to be seen how the two sides would enhance the strategic relationship in the next few months, given the ongoing trade negotiations.
New Delhi has publicly made it clear that the current global tariffs imposed by Trump are an opportunity for India and the US to reset trade ties. Washington is looking for easier access to India’s automobile, liquor and agricultural sectors.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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