PM Modi’s Visit Will Take India-US Ties to Next Level, says Kamala Harris

WASHINGTON:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first State visit to the US will take bilateral ties in areas of space, defence, emerging technology and supply chains to the next level, Vice President Kamala Harris has said.

Modi became the first Indian leader to address the joint session of the US Congress twice on Thursday. He first addressed a joint meeting of the US Congress in 2016.

“The US-India partnership is stronger than ever. Together, our nations will shape the future as we work to create a more prosperous, secure, and healthy world,” Harris’ office tweeted on Thursday.

“The partnership between the United States and India is one of the most important of the 21st century, and this visit will take our partnership to the next level from space, to defense, to emerging technology and supply chains,” it said.

Modi, in his response, thanked Vice President Harris for her remarks.

“Our partnership indeed holds immense potential for this century. I am equally enthusiastic about elevating our cooperation in futuristic sectors,” he tweeted.

Harris was among prominent personalities, including billionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani and tech honchos like Google CEO Sunder Pichai and Apple CEO Tim Cook, who attended the state dinner hosted in honour of Prime Minister Modi at the White House on Thursday.

More than 400 guests were invited to the dinner hosted by US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at a specially decorated pavilion on the South Lawn of the White House.

Vice President Harris and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will host Modi for a luncheon on Friday.

During his address to the US Congress on Thursday, Modi said, There are millions here who have roots in India. Some of them sit proudly in this chamber. There is one behind me, who has made history.

He was referring to Harris, the first woman vice president and the highest-ranking female official in US history, as well as the first African-American and first Asian-American vice president.

Harris’ mother Shyamala Gopalan, a breast cancer scientist, hailed from Chennai.