US VP JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance will visit India this month. This is Vance’s second visit since taking office and Usha’s first as Second Lady, tracing her roots back to Andhra Pradesh. The visit coincides with trade tariff discussions, as Trump pressures India on import duties, and includes a concurrent intelligence meeting in New Delhi.
United States Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance are set to visit India later this month, as reported by Politico. This trip marks JD Vance’s second official visit since President Donald Trump took office in January of this year. Prior to this, he visited Germany and France.
Usha Vance will experience her first official trip to India as Second Lady. She has Indian heritage; her parents migrated from India in 1986, and her roots trace back to Andhra Pradesh. Usha, a graduate of Yale and a lawyer, holds the distinction of being the first Second Lady of Indian descent.
JD Vance’s visit comes during a time of trade tariff concerns. President Trump has labeled India as a “high-tariff nation” and has expressed intentions to enact reciprocal tariffs against countries imposing heavy duties on US goods. Although Trump stated that India agreed to reduce tariffs, the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Modi, clarified that no commitment has been made regarding lowering import duties.
Vance’s prior official visit featured a notable speech at the Munich Security Conference where he criticized European governments for their responses to illegal immigration, the infringement of religious freedoms, and electoral integrity.
In conjunction with their visit, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is traveling to India to participate in the annual meeting of intelligence chiefs scheduled for March 16-17 in New Delhi.
The upcoming visit of Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance to India represents significant diplomatic engagement, particularly amid discussions on trade tariffs. Usha Vance’s heritage adds a personal dimension to their trip. With Vance’s previous criticisms of European policy and concurrent visits by US intelligence heads, the visit is noteworthy for both bilateral relations and strategic discussions.
Original Source: www.business-standard.com
