JD Vance India Visit: Trade, Tariffs, and H-1B Visas – What’s On US Vice President's Agenda?

JD Vance India Visit: US Vice President JD Vance began a four-day visit to India on Monday, where he’s set to play a key role in shaping a crucial phase of US-India relations.

While the visit includes personal elements, such as visiting the Taj Mahal and attending a wedding in Jaipur with his wife Usha, the daughter of Indian immigrants, the spotlight is firmly on trade negotiations and rising concerns over US visa policies affecting Indian nationals.

Vance’s meetings with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are being closely watched, as both sides try to finalise a long-awaited trade agreement and ease tensions created by recent US tariff hikes and visa revocations.

Fast-Tracking a Trade Deal

India is racing against time to clinch a deal after President Donald Trump slapped 26% tariffs on Indian goods on April 2, despite his close relationship with Modi. While Trump later announced a 90-day pause on further hikes for key trading partners, including India, that window is rapidly closing.

India has already offered to cut tariffs on over half of US imports, worth $41.8 billion in 2024, as a goodwill move. The aim is to finalise a deal before the pause ends and avoid further economic fallout.

“The fact that the US-China tensions are ramping up, and Vance in particular seems to have taken a very high profile role in American diplomacy, also means that the visit assumes an added layer of significance,” said Harsh Pant, foreign policy head at the Observer Research Foundation in Delhi as per Reuters report.

Vance and Modi are also expected to review the progress made since Modi's February meeting with Trump, which focused on "fairness" in two-way trade and strengthening the defence partnership.

The US is India’s top trading partner, with two-way trade reaching $129 billion in 2024 and a $45.7 billion surplus in India’s favour. Modi and Trump have committed to more than doubling that trade to $500 billion—a vision Modi described as a “mega partnership.”

“We are very positive that the visit will give a further boost to our bilateral ties,” Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters on Thursday, speaking about Vance's engagements in India.

Though no agreements are expected to be signed during the visit, both countries are laying the groundwork for a comprehensive defence framework. This includes potential deals to procure and co-produce arms such as Javelin anti-tank guided missiles and Stryker infantry combat vehicles. Talks on these matters are expected to move forward when US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth visits India in the coming months.

Also Read:  JD Vance's India Visit: Check Traffic Advisory, Routes to Avoid in Delhi as Several Roads Remain Jammed

H-1B Visas

While trade dominates headlines, rising concerns over US visa policies are also casting a shadow over ties. A sharp spike in student visa revocations—especially among Indians—has triggered alarm in New Delhi.

According to US data, of 327 recent visa revocations for international students, half involved Indian nationals. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh raised the issue, saying, “The reasons for revocation are random and unclear. There is growing fear and apprehension,” and urged India’s external affairs minister to “raise the concern” with the US

This concern extends to H-1B work visas, vital for Indian tech professionals in the US Last year, Indians accounted for 70% of all H-1B visas—more than 200,000 workers. But many are now unsure about traveling home due to fears of re-entry issues, leading some to cancel plans altogether.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association has flagged the trend, stating that US immigration officials are “aggressively targeting international students,” including those with no history of protest or violation.

Building Toward the Future

Vance’s India trip follows a recent visit by US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard, who was in Delhi to bolster the Quad alliance—an Indo-Pacific strategic group made up of the US, India, Australia, and Japan that is seen as a counterweight to China’s growing influence.

The visit also paves the way for President Trump’s planned trip to India later this year for the Quad leaders’ summit. While no breakthroughs are expected immediately, officials hope Vance’s presence will reinforce mutual trust and set the stage for deeper cooperation.