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US Vice-President JD Vance has risen as a prominent figure in India-US relations and is seen as an extension of the worldview shared by PM Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump
US Vice-President JD Vance’s (R) first official visit to India comes on the heels of PM Narendra Modi’s (L) trip to the US in February. (Image: AFP/File)
The visit of US Vice-President JD Vance to India on Monday is more than a diplomatic event. It carries the subtext of the Modi-Trump relationship, a dynamic that continues to powerfully echo through both domestic and international corridors in a polarised world.
All this may explain why India may clinch an early trade deal with the US – a result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s long-term strategic patience and relationship cultivation. This is also the story of how he built a direct rapport with President Donald Trump – the optics of ‘Howdy Modi’ and ‘Namaste Trump’, but also the strategic calculus behind these moves.
Modi has prepared India for Trump’s potential return to the White House by ensuring continuity in diplomatic engagements and dialogue with both Republican as well as Democratic leaders. His pragmatism has led him to maintain bipartisan trust in Washington, navigating ideological divides and staying focused on one thing, national interest.
For both the leaders, the priority is holding fast to a “nation first” ideology – ‘America First’ for Trump and ‘India First’ for Modi. This is how the mutual interests have aligned, culminating in Vance’s visit to India.
Vance has risen as a prominent figure in India-US relations and is being seen as an extension of the same worldview shared by Modi and Trump. His first official visit comes on the heels of the Prime Minister’s trip to the US in February, where a wide-ranging joint statement laid out ambitions in defence technology, energy, AI, critical minerals, semiconductors, space cooperation, and people-to-people exchange.
The Vice-President’s visit, accompanied by Second Lady Usha Vance (who is of Indian origin) and their children, provides an opportunity to take stock of the progress.
MODI-TRUMP-VANCE RAPPORT
In a recent conversation with podcaster Lex Fridman, Modi had shared anecdotes about Trump that reflected mutual respect and an alignment in worldview. He recalled how the President, despite stringent security protocols, spontaneously agreed to walk around a packed stadium in Houston – a moment he described as “truly touching”.
The visit of Vance is symbolic of the same mutual respect, given his closeness to Trump and the likelihood of him extending the same dynamics. The soft power undertones of the visit, like the presence of his wife Usha and their children, and the stops in Jaipur and Agra, also send a strong message.
Recently, there were visuals of the family landing in Italy, with Vance carrying his child. A repeat of such visuals could strike an emotional chord in India, too, apart from the bond that Usha shares with the country and her cultural familiarity.
All eyes will be on the chemistry between Vance and Modi as it can accelerate progress in complex areas like trade talks. Personal diplomacy can move faster than institutional machinery, and the Modi-Trump story provides a compelling case study of the same. Vance’s visit could prove to be another positive chapter in it.
