Amid growing uncertainty in global trade due to tariff policies by US President Donald Trump, US Vice President JD Vance and US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz are scheduled to visit India from April 21 to 24. The tour is aimed at giving a new direction to Indo-US relations, which will insist on promoting cooperation in areas such as high technology, important minerals and export controls.
During this visit, JD Vance Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S.K. Jaishankar and other senior Indian officials will meet. Vance’s visit is also considered individual as he is coming to India with his wife Usha Vance and children- Ivan, Vivek and Maribel. The program also includes a visit to historical sites like Jaipur and Agra.
According to a top formula, ‘American NSAs are visiting India to unveil the initiative for cooperation in high technology, important minerals and export control areas.’ Reports suggest that Mike Waltz’s visit to India will focus on the first round of talks on important technologies. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is likely to meet during the Mike Waltz visit, expected to discuss the future of bilateral cooperation on advanced technologies of both sides.
Trust initiative: new path, new trust
Trust Pahal mainly replaced US-India Initiative On Critical and Emerging Technology (ICET). The ICET was launched by Prime Minister Modi and the then US President Joe Biden in May 2022. Its objective was to increase cooperation in advanced techniques which included categories such as semocardctors, telecom, defense space and important minerals. Now under the Trump administration, it has been given a new name and direction as a “trust”, which has more emphasis on trust and strategic partnership.
Importance of travel in global context
The tour is taking place at a time when President Trump has postponed tariffs applied to all other countries except China for 90 days, causing instability in the global market. Vance and Waltz’s visit to India will not only strengthen strategic cooperation, but can also prove to be an important step towards stabilizing global trade.