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As US Vice President JD Vance arrived in India on Monday for an official visit, former Foreign Secretary Ambassador Kanwal Sibal, in an exclusive conversation with NewsX, talked about the significance of the visit, emerging trade negotiations and India–US counterterrorism cooperation.
Responding to what could be expected from the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice President Vance, Sibal said, “It began as a private visit and has been now converted into an official one—and rightly so… JD Vance is a very powerful figure in the new administration… He will be playing a role in addition to that of the Secretary of State and the National Security Adviser.”
Emphasising the strategic significance of the India–US relationship, Sibal called it “the most important relationship we have across the board.” He also cautioned about “unpredictable” President Donald Trump’s tariff policies, describing them as “putting the cat amongst the global pigeons,” and noted that India has to “handle this as carefully as we can” , while also acknowledging that New Delhi was already working diplomatically to address these challenges.
Trade Talks Under Pressure—but With Potential
When asked about India’s stance on not negotiating “at gunpoint,” Sibal responded that the sentiment was more about reassuring public opinion than setting rigid red lines.
“This needs to be said because we have to also assure our public opinion that we are not going to do exactly what the Americans may want us to do… especially in the agricultural market… an extremely sensitive issue in India,” he said.
Sibal noted that while India may concede on imports like bourbon whiskey, high-end motorcycles and dry fruits, areas such as dairy products and genetically modified foods remain contentious.
“The Americans will try to maximize their demands and we will have to then stand firm on some things… and also satisfy them on some others… so that on the whole it is a positive outcome,” he said.
Challenges in Finalising a Trade Deal
On the execution of a trade agreement within 90 days, Sibal told NewsX that while full resolution is unlikely, groundwork could be laid for broader consensus.
“The challenges are that American demands have been made clear… President Trump has got this thing in his head that India is the tariff king… our trade deficit with the United States is much less than with China, Canada, Mexico or the EU,” Sibal explained.
He noted that U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) concerns extend beyond tariffs, touching on regulatory processes, GMOs, data localization and non-tariff barriers—making negotiations complex.
“To think that we are going to have a multi-sector trade agreement in 90 days, to my mind, is not realistic,” he said. “What can happen is… we can create a realistic and mutually acceptable basis for more intensive follow-up discussions.”
On Counterterrorism and the Extradition of Tahawwur Rana
Responding to a question on the recent extradition of Tahawwur Rana, Sibal called it a positive development, allowing probe agencies to interrogate a key figure linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
After interrogating him, “we’ll now be able to actually probe the depth of the conspiracy on the Pakistan side,” he said, while also underlining that counterterrorism cooperation has had “mixed results” in the past.
“We didn’t get access to [David] Headley… when it comes to these Khalistani goons like Pannun running around in the United States, we have yet to see what the American side does.”
Sibal also pointed out that despite limited past pressure on Pakistan, there is hope that under Trump’s second administration—and with Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence—Washington may take a harder stance against extremist elements.
Recent Arrests of Pro-Khalistan Elements
Responding to reports of terror-accused Happy Passia’s arrest in the US, Sibal indicated that the Trump administration may be more proactive than the Biden administration .
“I think under Biden, these elements were given a big room… There was a belief… that Pannun was being protected by the CIA and the FBI,” he said. “Now with Tulsi Gabbard there… I think we’ll get better cooperation from the United States with regard to the activities of these Khalistani elements.”
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