Former Amb Mahesh Sachdev calls JD Vance's India visit a 'Significant symbolic and substantive gesture'

"The visit is significant because it's the first major political head in the United States' new government that took over under President Trump on January 20. Nearly three months down the line, the Vice President of the United States, the number 2 person in the hierarchy, is visiting India," said Sachdev. He added, "It's certainly an important symbolic, as well as substantive gesture, which India and the US are likely to use to coordinate their relations better and build upon the Prime Minister's (PM Modi's) own visit in February to the US, where they agreed on many things that were jointly announced by the Prime Minister and the President (Trump)."

According to Sachdev, the Vice President's visit comprises two distinct segments--one formal and one personal. "The visit has two distinct components - the first is bilateral; a formal visit wherein the visiting dignitary would be received by the PM, and would have discussions on the issues that would include tariff issues, as well as deportation related issues," he noted.

He further explained, "At the same time, there is an informal component of the visit, wherein the Vice President, who has a wife of Indian origin, Mrs Usha Vance, would visit Jaipur and Agra, and I understand there would be some familial gatherings from the wife's side - so that would also add to the overall girth of the visit. I think the visit would highlight growing and frequent Indo-US ties at the highest level."

Vice President Vance, who arrived in New Delhi on Sunday, is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 6:30 pm today at the PM's official residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg. Their meeting is expected to address key bilateral concerns, including trade, economic cooperation, and defence ties.

After the formal leg of the visit, the Vance family will travel to Jaipur on Tuesday and visit Agra on April 23. The visit concludes with their departure from India on April 24 at 6:40 am.