Modi-Vance talks on Monday; Vances to visit Akshardham temple

New Delhi | Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host a dinner for US Vice President J D Vance and Indian-origin Second Lady Usha on Monday evening after holding talks with the American leader on a range of key issues, including trade, tariff, regional security and ways to expand the overall bilateral engagement.

The US Vice President, his wife Usha and their three children -- Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel -- are scheduled to land at the Palam airbase at 10 am on Monday on a four-day India visit.

Vance's first visit to India comes weeks after US President Donald Trump imposed and then paused a sweeping tariff regime against around 60 countries, including India.

New Delhi and Washington are now holding negotiations to seal a bilateral trade agreement that is expected to address a variety of issues, including tariff and market access.

Hours after arriving in Delhi, Vance and his family are scheduled to visit the Swaminarayan Akshardham temple and could visit a shopping complex selling traditional Indian handcrafted goods, people familiar with the matter told PTI.

The Vances will be welcomed on their arrival at the Palam airbase by a senior Union cabinet minister.

Besides Delhi, Vance and his family will travel to Jaipur and Agra.

Vance is expected to be accompanied by at least five senior officials, including from the Pentagon and the State Department, people familiar with the matter said.

At 6:30 pm on Monday, PM Modi will welcome Vance and his family at his 7 Lok Kalyan Marg residence that will be followed by official talks.

The focus of the meeting is likely to be on early finalisation of the proposed bilateral trade pact as well as ways to boost overall trajectory of ties between the two countries, the people cited above said.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Indian ambassador to US Vinay Mohan Kwatra are expected to be part of the Indian team to be led by PM Modi, they said.

Following the talks, Modi will host the Vances and the accompanying American officials for dinner.

The people cited above said Vance and his family will leave for Jaipur on Monday night.

In Delhi, the US Vice President and his family are set to stay in ITC Maurya Sheraton hotel.

On April 22, the Vances will visit a number of historical sites, including the Amer Fort, also known as Amber Fort. The fort is a UNESCO world heritage site.

In the afternoon, the US Vice President is scheduled to address a gathering at the Rajasthan International Centre in Jaipur, they said.

Vance is expected to delved into broader aspects of India-US relations under the Donald Trump administration during his speech that is expected to be attended by diplomats, foreign policy experts, Indian government officials and academia.

The US Vice President and his family are expected to travel to Agra on the morning of April 23, the people cited above said.

In Agra, they will visit Taj Mahal and Shilpgram which is an open air emporium showcasing various Indian artefacts, they said.

After concluding their visit to Agra, the Vances will return to Jaipur in the second half of April 23.

The US Vice President and his family will depart for the US from Jaipur on April 24, according to the people cited above.

In Jaipur, the Vances are set to stay at the elegant Rambagh Palace, a luxury hotel that once served as a royal guesthouse.

Vance is arriving in Delhi after concluding his trip to Italy.