[CTC] Vance, Modi announce ‘roadmap’ for US-India trade agreement — as White House tries to build momentum for deals

[Arthur Stamoulis]

https://nypost.com/2025/04/21/us-news/vance-modi-announce-roadmap-for-us-india-trade-agreement-as-white-house-tries-to-build-momentum-for-deals/


Vance, Modi announce ‘roadmap’ for US-India trade agreement — as White
House tries to build momentum for deals

WASHINGTON — Vice President JD Vance and Indian Prime Minister Narendra
Modi said Monday they had agreed on a “roadmap” for negotiations over a
trade deal to avert looming “reciprocal” tariffs
<https://nypost.com/2025/04/02/us-news/trump-slaps-at-least-10-tariffs-on-all-imports-in-declaration-of-economic-independence-half-of-what-they-could-be/>
—
while President Trump insisted at the White House that talks with top US
trading partners were going “very well.”

Little is publicly known about how negotiations with countries
<https://nypost.com/2025/04/15/us-news/trump-actively-considering-15-tariff-deals-with-different-nations-after-90-day-reciprocal-pause-white-house-says/>
like
Japan, South Korea, Australia, Vietnam and the United Kingdom are actually
going — with a source close to the administration also telling The Post
Monday that “the spin is out of control” and that this person “can’t tell
what is cope and what is optimism.”

However, Trump officials have repeatedly insisted that a “tailor-made” deal
with the New Delhi government is among the most likely to be reached soon,
alongside agreements with Japan
<https://nypost.com/2025/04/16/world-news/japan-to-kick-off-tariff-negotiations-with-trump-in-washington/>,
South Korea and Vietnam.

Vance and Modi “welcomed significant progress in the negotiations for a
U.S.-India Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) and formally announced the
finalization of the Terms of Reference for the negotiations, laying down a
roadmap for further discussions about our shared economic priorities,”
according to a joint release.

Second lady Usha Vance, whose parents immigrated to the US from southern
India in the 1970s, and the couple’s three young children joined the trip.

Usha Vance is the first Hindu spouse of a US president or vice president.

The Vance family visited Delhi’s Akshardham Temple before continuing on
Monday evening to the city of Jaipur, well-known for its opulent pink-hued
architecture.

The family will then visit Agra to see the Taj Mahal.

The White House statement provided no sense of timing on concluding trade
negotiations.

“The BTA presents an opportunity to negotiate a new and modern trade
agreement focused on promoting job creation and citizen well-being in both
countries, with the goal of enhancing bilateral trade and supply-chain
integration in a balanced and mutually beneficial manner,” the release said.

“Guided by their respective visions of ‘Amrit Kaal for India’ and ‘Golden
Age for America,’ BTA is expected to create new opportunities of growth for
workers, farmers, and entrepreneurs in both countries.”

If talks are unsuccessful, India would face a tariff rate of 26% on imports
beginning in early July.

A Japanese delegation left Washington Wednesday without announcing a final
deal to avert that nation’s possible 24% rate — instead broadcasting plans
for a second round of discussions
<https://nypost.com/2025/04/17/us-news/second-round-of-trump-japan-trade-talks-expected-this-month-with-pm-visit-possible-to-seal-deal/>later
this month.

Trump told reporters at the White House Easter Egg Roll that he was
confident that multiple deals would be reached.

“I think they’re going very well,” the president told reporters. “We’re
going to make a lot of money. We’re already [levying] 25% on cars and
aluminum and steel. Taking in a lot of money, more money than this
country’s seen. And that’s just the beginning.”

The massive new duties took effect April 9 but were paused hours later to
allow for 90 days of talks — with stated goals including eliminating
foreign tariffs and non-tariff barriers, as well as evening out US trade
deficits.

The president left in effect a new 10% baseline tariff on most imports,
which could be removed in any one-for-one deal.


======
PM Modi, US Vice President announce finalization of Terms of Reference for
Bilateral Trade Agreement negotiations
*US Vice President JD Vance met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, and
the two leaders welcomed the progress in the negotiations for a US-India
Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).*

New Delhi [India], April 21 (ANI): US Vice President JD Vance met Prime
Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, and the two leaders welcomed the progress
in the negotiations for a US-India Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).

They formally announced the finalization of the Terms of Reference for the
negotiations.

During the visit to PM Modi's residence, the Vice President was accompanied
by the Second Lady Usha Vance, their children, and senior members of the
Trump Administration.

"Vice President Vance and Prime Minister Modi welcomed significant progress
in the negotiations for a U.S.-India Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) and
formally announced the finalization of the Terms of Reference for the
negotiations, laying down a roadmap for further discussions about our
shared economic priorities," said a statement from the US Vice President's
office.

It said BTA presents an opportunity to negotiate a new and modern trade
agreement focused on promoting job creation and citizen well-being in both
countries, with the goal of enhancing bilateral trade and supply-chain
integration in a balanced and mutually beneficial manner.

"Guided by their respective visions of 'Amrit Kaal for India' and 'Golden
Age for America,' BTA is expected to create new opportunities of growth for
workers, farmers, and entrepreneurs in both countries," the statement said.

The visit comes closely on the heels of a positive and successful meeting
between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi in Washington earlier this
year.

During that meeting, the two leaders reaffirmed the strength of the
India-U.S. Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and jointly launched
the India-U.S. COMPACT (Catalyzing Opportunities for Military Partnership,
Accelerated Commerce & Technology) for the 21st Century, "an initiative
anchored in mutual trust, shared interests, goodwill, and robust engagement
of their citizens".

The statement said visit provided an opportunity for both sides to review
the progress achieved in bilateral relations and the implementation of the
outcomes of the India-US Joint Statement issued on February 13, 2025. The
two sides also exchanged views on regional and global developments of
mutual interest.

"The Vice President extended his sincere gratitude to Prime Minister Modi
for being such a gracious host to Second Lady Mrs. Usha Vance, their
children, and the accompanying U.S. delegation during this pleasant and
productive visit to India," the statement said.

A PMO release earlier said that PM Modi and the US Vice President JD Vance
welcomed the "significant progress" in the negotiations for a mutually
beneficial India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement.

They also noted continued efforts to enhance cooperation in energy,
defence, strategic technologies, and other areas.

The two leaders also exchanged views on various regional and global issues
of mutual interest, and called for dialogue and diplomacy as the way
forward.

"Prime Minister fondly recalled his visit to Washington DC in January and
his fruitful discussions with President Trump, which laid down the roadmap
for close cooperation between India and the US, leveraging the strengths of
Make America Great Again (MAGA) and Viksit Bharat 2047," the release said.

Prime Minister and Vice President Vance reviewed and positively assessed
the progress in various areas of bilateral cooperation.

"They welcomed the significant progress in the negotiations for a mutually
beneficial India-U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement focused on the welfare of
the people of the two countries. Likewise, they noted continued efforts
towards enhancing cooperation in energy, defence, strategic technologies
and other areas. The two leaders also exchanged views on various regional
and global issues of mutual interest, and called for dialogue and diplomacy
as the way forward," the release said.

The Prime Minister extended his best wishes to the Vice President, the
Second Lady, and their children for a pleasant and productive stay in India.

He also conveyed his warm greetings to President Trump and said that he
looked forward to his visit to India later this year.

The US Vice President, who is on a four-day official visit to India,
arrived in the national capital on Monday.

This is Vice President Vance's first visit to India. He will also visit
Jaipur and Agra before departing for Washington DC.

The high-level visit comes amid trade negotiations between the two
countries following the US decision to impose reciprocal tariffs on several
countries, including India.
The US has reduced new tariff rates on most of its trade partners to 10 per
cent for 90 days to allow trade negotiations. (ANI)
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