JD Vance’s son Vivek seen with his favourite book while meeting PM Modi? Here’s what the 5-year-old is reading

Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed United States Vice President JD Vance and his family to his residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg on Monday, April 21, before a formal bilateral meeting between the two leaders.

Vance, on a four-day visit to India, was accompanied by his Indian-origin wife, Usha Vance, and his three children—sons Ewan and Vivek and daughter Mirabel—to the PM's residence.

In the first pictures of the meeting, released on Monday evening, PM Modi is seen welcoming the family of five. Modi greets the kids, and in one picture, the PM is seen caressing Vivek, the second son of the Vance couple.

Vivek, the couple's second child, born in February 2020, is dressed in black with a Nehru jacket. One peculiar feature in the picture is the book that Vivek carries.

What is Vivek reading, Red Pandas?

Vivek, as evident in the pictures, is perhaps reading the Red Pandas (National Geographic Kids Readers, Level 1). The book is authored by Laura Marsh and published by the National Geographic Society through National Geographic Society.

“Find out about the shy and rarely seen red panda! This level 1 reader documents the lives of red pandas in their environment. The carefully constructed text and beautiful photographs guarantee a successful and rewarding reading experience for any reader, especially those who love wild animals,” reads the ‘about the book’ section.

Vance's Three Kids

The couple welcomed their first child, son Ewan, in June 2017. The second son Vivek, was born in February 2020. Mirabel, the daughter, was born in December 2021.

After welcoming the family, Modi was seen in videos taking the family around the lawns of his Lok Kalyan Marg residence. Inside the house, Modi is seen joyfully bonding with the kids and sharing some joyful moments. At one point, Modi hands over peacock feathers to all three kids while the parents, JD and Usha, look on.

The four-day itinerary of Vance's first trip to India after becoming US Vice President primarily includes cultural engagements and visits to historic sites in Jaipur and Agra.

The two leaders had a bilateral meeting on Monday evening. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Indian Ambassador to the US Vinay Mohan Kwatra were also part of the Indian team led by Modi at the meeting. The PM also hosted Vance, his famuly and team, for a dinner after the formal meeting. 

Later in the night, Vice President Vance will travel to Jaipur for his engagements on April 22. Vance and family are scheduled to visit Agra on April 23. His visit to India will conclude on Thursday, April 24, with his departure at 6.40 a.m.