US Vice President JD Vance, who is on a four-day trip to India, met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for talks over trade and said they made progress in reaching a trade deal between the two countries.
The meeting between Vance and Modi comes at a crucial time when India is trying to seal an early trade deal before the expiry of a 90-day pause on tariffs announced by Donald Trump's administration, Deutsche Welle reports.
Vance is visiting India on a mostly personal trip to India with his wife Usha and children.
Vance's visit is also being viewed as an opportunity for India to host Trump later this year for the summit of leaders of the Quad grouping that includes India, Australia, Japan and the US.
What do we know about the meeting between Vance and Modi?
Modi's office said that there had been "significant progress in the negotiations" with the two countries negotiating the first tranche of a trade deal.
Vance's office also reported "significant progress" in the talks and said the two leaders outlined a plan to take economic discussions forward.
The talks present "an opportunity to negotiate a new and modern trade agreement focused on promoting job creation and citizen well-being in both countries," the statement from Vance's office added.
After Vance's meetings Monday, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said he was "pleased to confirm" that Washington and India's Ministry of Commerce "have finalized the Terms of Reference to lay down a roadmap for the negotiations on reciprocal trade".
During their meeting, the two leaders also discussed enhancing cooperation in energy, defense and strategic technologies, among others, a statement from Modi's office said.
