June 2, 2025 | Washington D.C.
USISPF was honored to welcome Second Lady Usha Vance at the #USISPFSummit2025 for an inspiring opening conversation on U.S.-India ties through the lens of personal connection and cultural diplomacy.
In a candid chat with USISPF Chairman John Chambers, Ms. Vance reflected on how her upbringing in an Indian-American household in San Diego and her family’s emphasis on education shaped her journey—from Yale to the U.S. Supreme Court, and now, her public life in Washington, D.C.
Ms. Vance spoke of her deep emotional and cultural connection to India, formed through regular family visits and lifelong ties to her Indian heritage. She described the US-India relationship as “very personal” to her, highlighting a moment of “great opportunity” in the evolving bilateral ties.
“When we were visiting India recently, I was struck by the number of people who came up to me and said how much they loved our country, how they visited family, how they visited just for pleasure, and how they were hoping for a close relationship going forward. I think these personal ties have something to do with it.” said Ms. Usha Vance while reminiscing about her visit to India along with her family.
Vance recalled their recent trip to India, and how it was special for their three children, who struck a rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, putting him “in the grandfather category”.
“It is a very personal relationship because I have family members who are in India, and I have many family members who are in the US. And I did grow up visiting India and visiting those family members, and they grew up visiting me. So that’s always been a relationship that I’ve personally thought of as very important,” she said. “More broadly, this is a time of great opportunity. And if my husband were here, he’d say the same thing,” she remarked.
“Obviously, the relationship has ebbed and flowed at times. There are times when one country’s needs and one country’s goals are different from the other. But in the next four years, and in the future, the fact that there is this established Indian-American population here and so many people in India who know the country and know the people who are here doing great things, having great opportunities, these personal ties actually have something to do with it,” she added.
She continued, speaking on her upcoming priorities, “Literacy is going to be a big focus of my efforts. It’s a natural fit, given that I have small children and my own personal interests.”
We thank Second Lady Usha Vance for her time, warmth, and insights. Her personal reflections underscore the bonds between the two countries.
