U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife Usha Vance (née Chilukuri)—born in the U.S. to immigrants from India—and their three children, arrived in India today on a four-day visit, involving diplomacy and tourism. Vance met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his home, with talks on a planned trade deal and on the tariff issues, as well as strategic issues. Vance is accompanied by several senior U.S. officials, including representatives from the Pentagon and the State Department.
U.S. President Trump’s initial announcement of “reciprocal” tariffs placed a 26% tariff on Indian goods. Trump announced that he was temporarily suspending the tariffs, and the two countries are negotiating a trade deal.
The trip is encountering tensions over U.S. immigration policies and widespread opposition from Indian farmers, London’s The Guardian reports. The All-India Kisan Sabha, the country’s oldest and largest farmers’ union, representing over 16 million members, launched nationwide protests warning that trade liberalization could devastate local agriculture, particularly in the dairy sector. They denounced U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s demand that India’s subsidized agricultural sector be up for discussion in the negotiations.
