“SPECIAL PERSON”
Vance is on a mostly personal, four-day visit to India along with his wife, who is the daughter of Indian immigrants, and their three children.
India is seeking an early trade deal with the US – its largest trading partner – before the end of a 90-day pause on the steep tariffs announced by Trump’s administration.
“Prime Minister Modi is a tough negotiator. He drives a hard bargain,” Vance said to laughter from the audience.
India, the world’s fastest-growing big economy, hopes to “positively conclude” the first part of a trade pact by autumn, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in San Francisco on Monday.
Vance said he and Modi, who hosted Vance’s family for dinner at his home on Monday, had made good progress on trade talks and confirmed that the two sides had finalised the terms of reference for the trade negotiation.
“It sets a roadmap toward a final deal between our nations,” he said.
Vance has criticised some foreign leaders but was effusive in his praise for Modi, who went to see Vance’s family on the birthday of Vance’s second son while both leaders were in France for an AI conference in February.
“I think he’s a special person,” Vance said.
“In the past, Washington approached Prime Minister Modi with an attitude of prejudice or even one of condescension. And, as I told Prime Minister Modi last night, he’s got approval ratings that would make me jealous.”
