Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has met with Vice-President Kamela Harris at a security summit in the United States

The historic meeting is the first time an Indian Prime Minister has met with the highest ranking Indian-American politician, and the first time Prime Minister Modi and Vice President Harris have met.

Vice-President Harris is the first South East Asian to hold the office in the United States, as well as the first woman.

While Harris condemned Modi during the 2019 presidential campaign for revoking Kashmir’s autonomous status, she instead encouraged cooperation between the two countries during public remarks before a private meeting between the two.

“it is imperative that we defend democratic principles and institutions within our respective countries,” Vice-President Harris said. 

Vice-President Harris also praised India for producing vaccines for the Asian and African continents.

Prime Minister Modi congratulated Vice-President Harris on her election win before inviting her to visit India in the future during their meeting, and praised her for a positive phone call between the two during India’s deadly which killed more than 200,000 people.

“The people of India are waiting for you,” Modi said.

Modi will meet with US president Joe Biden for the first time during his three day trip, which finishes on Friday. The meeting will also be attended by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and leaders from Japan.

There are currently more than 4 million Indian-Americans living in the United States, and they are one of the fastest growing populations groups in the country.

Bilateral cooperation between India and the United States of America has been a focus for the US government in recent years, with India being viewed as a key strategic ally in countering China’s growing influence in the region.

Vice-President Harris’ ancestral village of Thulasendrapuram celebrated her 2020 election win with fireworks and marching through the streets.

-By Parker McKenzie