No dates have been firmed up yet for a possible visit to India by US Vice President JD Vance, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
Politico reported on Tuesday, citing its sources, that Vance would travel to India with his wife Usha Vance later in March. If it goes ahead, this will be Vance’s second foreign trip as vice president after his visit to France and Germany in February.
The people cited above, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said several factors could influence the timing of a possible visit to India by Vance.
The Trump administration’s current focus on the Russia-Ukraine war and the ongoing trade negotiations between India and the US were among these factors, the people said.
“Negotiations between the US, Russia and Ukraine are very delicately poised and this is a major focus area for the Trump administration. This could be a factor in finalising the US vice president’s itinerary,” one person said.
Also Read:US Vice President JD Vance, Second Lady Usha Vance to visit India: Report
The people pointed out that the India-US trade negotiations were delicately poised, especially in light of US President Donald Trump’s threats of slapping reciprocal tariffs on trade partners from April 2 and said the outcome of the talks also could influence any visit from the US side.
US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is set to be the first senior White House official to travel to India since Trump’s inauguration in January. Gabbard, who began a visit to Japan, Thailand and India on Monday, is scheduled to participate in a security conclave being held in New Delhi on March 16 on the margins of the Raisina Dialogue.
Usha Vance’s parents immigrated from India to the US and Vance has referred to his India connect because of her.
Vance’s fiery speech at the Munich Security Conference during his first foreign visit did not go down well with the European partners of the US. He criticised European governments for their handling of illegal migration, for ignoring religious freedoms, and overturning elections.