Reuters pointed out that the visit of the US Vice President took place in the context of New Delhi trying to avoid high US tariffs with an early trade deal and promote relations with the Trump administration.
During the talks, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vance Vice President JD reviewed the progress made in the bilateral agenda raised in February when the Indian leader met with President Donald Trump in Washington D.C. The talks included fair two-way trade and developing defense partnerships.
The Indian Prime Minister is one of the first world leaders to meet President Donald Trump after he took office. In the bilateral trade agreement, the Narendra Modi government is ready to cut taxes on more than half of US imports, worth a total of $41.8 billion by 2024.
"We strongly believe that the visit will further boost our bilateral relations," Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters when asked about the activities of US Vice President JD Vance in India.
The US is India's largest trading partner and two-way bilateral trade will reach 129 billion by 2024, with a surplus of 45.7 billion USD leaning towards India, according to US government trade data.
New Delhi officials are hoping to reach a trade deal with the US during the 30-day US tariff postponement announced by President Donald Trump on April 9. The US has applied the delay to its major trading partners, including India.
JD Vance Vice President's visit to India is expected to lay the foundation for President Donald Trump's visit later this year to attend a summit of leaders of the Quartet, including India, Australia, Japan and the US.
Sources said that Mr. JD Vance's visit to India is also personal. Mr. JD Vance's wife and children were present on this trip. JD Vance's family is scheduled to visit Taj Mahal and attend a wedding in Jaipur city. Mr. JD Vance's wife, Ms. Usha, both of her parents are Indian immigrants in the US.
Harsh Pant - head of foreign policy at Observer Research Foundation in Delhi - said that the time of JD Vance Vice President's visit to India is very important in the context of trade negotiations.
"Mr. JD Vance seems to have a very important role in American diplomacy, which also means that this visit has an additional meaningful layer," he said.
Reuters sources said that US officials accompanying Vice President JD Vance during the visit, but the US and India are unlikely to sign any agreement during the four days.
According to a joint statement issued after a meeting of leaders in February, India and the US are expected to sign a defense partnership framework this year. New Delhi also plans to purchase and co-produced weapons with Washington, including Javelin anti-tank missiles and Stryker infantry fighting vehicles.
Sources noted that the discussion of the shopping activity will be conducted during US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's visit to India in the coming months.
