US vice-president to go to India amid escalating commerce struggle with China

[ad_1] US Vice-President JD Vance will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a four-day go to to India subsequent week as their two international locations negotiate a bilateral commerce deal.

The 2 leaders are scheduled to satisfy on 21 April, the primary day of Vance's journey, for discussions on financial, commerce and geopolitical ties.

"The go to will present a chance for each side to evaluation the progress in bilateral relations," India's international ministry stated in a statement .

Vance's first go to to India since taking workplace comes because the international locations work to conclude a commerce settlement by fall.

The vice-president will probably be accompanied by his kids and spouse Usha Vance whose mother and father migrated to the US from the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

The go to comes in opposition to the backdrop of an intensifying commerce struggle between the US and China with President Donald Trump putting tariffs of as much as 145% on Chinese language items, with levies on some items presumably reaching 245%. China has hit again with tariffs of 125% on US merchandise.

India was additionally among the many international locations which confronted 27% US tariffs on 2 April, earlier than a 90-day pause was introduced.

Since then, Delhi and Washington have been working in the direction of an early conclusion of commerce negotiations.

India has already lower tariffs on a spread of products and is reported to be contemplating extra wide-ranging cuts to stave off Trump's threats.

Till lately, the USA was India's largest buying and selling associate, with bilateral commerce reaching $190bn (£144bn).

Prime Minister Modi visited the US in February quickly after Trump's inauguration and the 2 leaders met for talks.

Throughout his go to, Modi hailed a " mega partnership " with the USA, as the 2 leaders introduced a deal for India to import extra from America, together with oil and fuel.

Trump and Modi set an formidable goal to greater than double bilateral commerce to $500bn.

Vance's go to comes weeks after Director of Nationwide Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was in India for a geopolitical convention.

Each India and the US maintain a big place within the Quad - a four-nation alliance of India, Australia, US and Japan - seen as a counter-balance to China's enlargement within the Indo-Pacific.

The go to comes as Chinese language President Xi Jinping wraps up a tour of Southeast Asian nations, aiming to place China as a steady and dependable commerce associate amid rising tensions with Washington.

India is certainly one of two international locations on Vance's itinerary. Earlier than his arrival in Delhi, he'll go to Italy from 18 April. He's scheduled to satisfy Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.