'Extraordinary Impact...': US VP Kamala Harris Praises PM Modi, Indian Diaspora In Washington

New Delhi: United States (US) Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday said she is struck by the extraordinary impact Indian Americans have had on the US in every facet of life. "I am struck by the extraordinary impact Indian Americans have had on our country in every facet of life. Take for example the historic number of members of the United States Congress with Indian heritage," the US Vice President said at the State Luncheon attended by PM Narendra Modi on Friday. Harris welcomed PM Modi to the US. "Prime Minister Modi, we are honoured to welcome you. We also welcome the members of the President's Cabinet who are here and all of the members of Congress who are here," she said.

The US Vice President further said: "We see the impact of Indian Americans from American companies to neighbourhood businesses, from the studios of Hollywood to university research labs across our country."

She said India is an important part of her life. "When my sister Maya and I were growing up, our mother would take us to India pretty much every other year. And the purpose of those trips was that we would well understand where she came from, what produced her, so that we could spend time with our grandparents, with my uncle," Harris said during her address.

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"As I travel the world as Vice-President, I've seen the impact of 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," she added.

PM Modi on Friday said the coming together of talent and technology guarantees a brighter future. "The coming together of talent and technology guarantees a brighter future," said PM Modi at the Hi-Tech Handshake event with top CEOs of the US and India at the White House.

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The Prime Minister during the event met Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra, Reliance Industries Chairman & MD Mukesh Ambani, Zerodha & True Beacon Co-Founder Nikhil Kamath and several others present.

US President Joe Biden during the event said India, US "cooperation matters, not just for our own people but quite frankly to the whole world as our partnership is about more than the next breakthrough or the next deal as big as they may be. It is about tackling climate change, about exploring the universe, about lifting people out of poverty, preventing pandemics & giving our citizens real opportunity."

Meanwhile, PM Modi on Friday said that India-US friendship will make the world a better place. "India-USA friendship will make our world a better place," PM Modi tweeted on Friday. The PM also shared a video showing glimpses of his US visit. PM Modi is currently on his sixth visit and maiden State visit to the US.