United States Vice President JD Vance, accompanied by Second Lady Usha Vance and their children Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel, departed from Jaipur International Airport on Thursday, marking the conclusion of a four-day official visit to India that deftly blended diplomacy with cultural engagement.
The visit, hailed as a significant gesture towards strengthening Indo-US ties, saw the Vice President travel across New Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, engaging with Indian leaders and experiencing the cultural richness of the country. A day prior to departure, the Vance family visited the Taj Mahal in Agra.
“Today I visited the Taj Mahal with Usha and the kids. It's a beautiful historic site, and I'm grateful for the warm welcome we received there,” Vice President Vance wrote on the microblogging platform X.
At Agra’s Technical Airport, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath received the US dignitary and his family. The city had been decked out for the occasion with rangolis, floral installations, sand art, and flags of both nations, symbolising the growing diplomatic warmth between the two democracies.
For the high-profile visit, Indian and US security forces enforced a stringent protection protocol, with the 12-kilometre route from the airport to the Taj Mahal designated a zero-traffic corridor.
Earlier stops on the itinerary included New Delhi’s Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple, Jaipur’s Amber Fort, and the Central Cottage Industries Emporium — presenting what officials described as a perfect synthesis of cultural diplomacy and personal exploration.
While in Jaipur on Tuesday, Vance defended US President Donald Trump’s trade policies. “Critics have attacked my president, President Trump, for starting a trade war in an effort to bring back the jobs of the past, but nothing could be further from the truth,” he said, adding, “so that America, with friends like India, can build a future worth having for all of our people together.”
Vance also announced the finalisation of the Terms of Reference for a proposed India-US trade agreement, with the ambition of more than doubling bilateral trade to USD 500 billion by decade’s end.
“When President Trump and Prime Minister Modi announced in February that our countries aim to more than double our bilateral trade... I know that both of them meant it,” he said.
The agreement, according to officials, will focus on job creation, resilient supply chains, and shared economic prosperity.
On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted Vance and his family at his Lok Kalyan Marg residence in New Delhi. Vance commended India’s role as the forthcoming host of the QUAD summit, calling it “fitting,” and noted that the US now conducts more joint military exercises with India than with any other nation.
Vance also condemned the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, in which several tourists were killed. Expressing his condolences, he said on X: “Usha and I extend our condolences to the victims of the devastating terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India. Over the past few days, we have been overcome with the beauty of this country and its people. Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they mourn this horrific attack.”
US President Donald Trump echoed these sentiments in a strongly worded statement. “Deeply disturbing news out of Kashmir. The United States stands strong with India against Terrorism. We pray for the souls of those lost, and for the recovery of the injured. Prime Minister Modi, and the incredible people of India, have our full support and deepest sympathies. Our hearts are with you all!” Trump said.
Vice President Vance’s visit is being widely interpreted as a sign of the deepening strategic convergence between the United States and India ahead of key global summits and trade negotiations.
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