Source : INDIATV NEWS
US Vice President JD Vance, accompanied by his family, visited New Delhi’s Akshardham Temple, where they posed for group photographs, with his three children drawing special attention in their charming traditional Indian outfits.
On the first day of his four-day visit to India, US Vice President JD Vance visited the iconic Akshardham Temple in New Delhi along with his wife Usha Vance and their three children. The visit, steeped in cultural significance, turned into a charming moment of soft diplomacy as the Vance children stole the show dressed in vibrant traditional Indian attire, complete with flower garlands.
“Thank you all so much for your hospitality and kindness in welcoming me and my family to this beautiful place. It is a great credit to India that you built a beautiful temple with precision and care. Our kids, in particular, loved it. God bless,” the vice president wrote in the temple guest book.
The Vice President and his family were seen admiring the intricate carvings and grandeur of the temple complex. The group posed for photos in front of the temple’s ornate backdrop, with Vance and his Indian-American wife, Usha, offering prayers and taking a brief spiritual pause before official meetings.
Once done, the family posed for camera crews outside the imposing facade of the temple. “They were given a traditional welcome after which they had ‘darshan’. A carved wooden elephant, a model of the Delhi Akshardham Temple and children’s books were gifted to the family,” a priest at the temple told media.
Temple volunteer Meera Sondagar added that the vice president was especially captivated by the intricately sculpted Gajendra Peeth, a plinth adorned with carvings of elephants that symbolises strength and wisdom.
“He was shown the entire Akshardham complex and was deeply moved by the experience. He said he felt a sense of peace here,” she said. The temple also put out a post on X about the visit.
“The U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Second Lady Usha Vance and their children visited Swaminarayan Akshardham in Delhi ‘their first stop in India’ experiencing its majestic art, architecture and timeless values of faith, family and harmony.”
“The Vance family explored the mandir’s majestic art and architecture, experiencing India’s heritage and cultural depth and they appreciated the messages of harmony, family values, and timeless wisdom embodied in the Akshardham campus,” it added.
JD Vance’s arrival in India comes amid heightened trade tensions between the two nations, as the US contemplates raising tariffs on Indian exports from 10% to 26% if a trade deal is not reached soon. The visit is expected to be critical in reinvigorating India-US ties, especially as Vance prepares for a key meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi later today.
According to the White House, the bilateral talks will focus on the finalisation of a long-pending trade pact and broader strategic cooperation. Vance’s trip is both politically and personally symbolic, as it also highlights his Indian heritage through Usha Vance and showcases cultural ties between the two countries.
Following their stop in Delhi, the Vance family is scheduled to visit Jaipur on April 22 and Agra on April 23, where they are expected to continue engaging with India’s rich cultural and historical heritage.
