‘Not here to preach things, we come to you as partners,’ JD Vance in India amid global tariff war

US Vice President JD Vance said on April 22 that the United States did not intend to preach things but work with India as a partner and looked forward to strengthening the relationship. Vance said that earlier US governments saw India as a source of low-cost labour.

'Now I believe that our nations have much to offer to one another, and that's why we come to you as partners, looking to strengthen our relationship," Vance said at an event in Rajasthan's Jaipur, on April 22.

Vance is in India on a four-day visit. He met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 21, the first day of his visit. The US vice president was accompanied by the Second Lady Usha Vance, their children, and senior members of the US administration.

“Now we're not here to preach that you do things any one particular way. Too often in the past, Washington approached Prime Minister Modi with an attitude of preaching,” said Vance on the second day of his visit, first since he became US Vice President in January this year.

"Prior administrations saw India as a source of low-cost labour. On the one hand, even as they criticised the Prime Minister's government, arguably the most popular in the democratic world, and as I told Prime Minister Modi last night, he's got approval ratings that would make me jealous," Vance said.

Modi is a tough negotiator: Vance

Vance went on to laud Modi as a ‘tough negotiator’ adding that it's precisely this firmness that earns Indian PM respect in Washington DC,

“Modi is a tough negotiator, and that’s why we respect him. He stands strong for India's interests — and we appreciate that,” Vance said

Vance said that the US and India have officially finalised the terms of reference for the trade negotiation. "I believe this is a vital step toward realising President Trump's and Prime Minister Modi's vision, because it sets a road map toward a final deal between our nations," he said.

The US VP's remarks come at a time when the two nations are negotiating on finalising of India-US bilateral trade deal amid President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs, currently paused till July. A team from India may visit Washington DC later this month to discuss the trade deal with US officials.

Trump seeks to seeks to rebalance global trade: Vance

“Now, critics have attacked my president, President Trump, for starting a trade war in an effort to bring back the jobs of the past, but nothing could be further from the truth. He seeks to rebalance global trade so that America, with friends like India, can build a future worth having for all of our people together,” Vance said.

Vance and his family landed in New Delhi on Monday morning.

Vance said President Trump wants both the US and India to grow and the two countries can work together across sectors, including trade, defence and energy, for a win-win partnership.