US Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken organized a luncheon at the State Department in honor of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The luncheon took place during Modi's state visit to Washington, which was extended by an invitation from President Joe Biden. The historic summit between the two leaders was held on Thursday, followed by a state dinner hosted by President Biden.
"As I travel the world as Vice-President, I've seen the impact India's global impact. In South East Asia, India-made vaccines saved lives. In the African continent, India's long-standing partnerships support prosperity and security. Through the Indo-Pacific, India helps promote a free and open region," VP Harris said at the luncheon.
PM Modi, in his reply, said, "I would like to thank VP Kamala Harris & Secretary Blinken for this grand welcome. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to you for your warm words. Today, I am delighted to be before you once again at the State Department. In the last 3 days, I participated in numerous meetings. In all these meetings, one thing was common. Everyone agreed that friendship and cooperation should further deepen between the people of India & US."
During his visit, Modi achieved another significant milestone by becoming the first Indian leader to address the joint session of the US Congress twice, with his first address taking place in 2016.
Highlighting the strength of the US-India partnership, Harris' office tweeted on Thursday, "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." The tweet also emphasized the importance of collaboration in sectors such as space, defense, emerging technology, and supply chains.
Prime Minister Modi expressed gratitude to Vice President Harris for her remarks, acknowledging the immense potential of the partnership between the two nations. In a tweet, he stated, "Our partnership indeed holds immense potential for this century. I am equally enthusiastic about elevating our cooperation in futuristic sectors."
The state dinner held at the White House in honor of Prime Minister Modi saw the presence of prominent personalities, including billionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani and tech leaders like Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Apple CEO Tim Cook.
During his address to the US Congress, Modi acknowledged the millions of individuals with Indian roots in the United States, including those present in the chamber. He specifically referred to Vice President Harris, highlighting her historic achievements as the first woman vice president, highest-ranking female official, and the first African-American and Asian-American vice president in US history.
