Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday here reiterated commitment to further strengthen bilateral relations with the US for global good. He made this assertion when a bipartisan US Congressional delegation including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called on him.
Modi also highlighted the significant role played by the consistent and bipartisan support of the US Congress in advancing India-US ties, which are based on shared democratic values, respect for rule of law and strong people-to-people ties. Prime Minister Modi recalled his State Visit to the US in June last year during which he had an opportunity to address a Joint Session of the US Congress for a historic second time.
A seven-member US Congressional delegation led by Rep. Michael McCaul, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, called on Modi.
The other members of the delegation included Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Gregory Meeks, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, Rep. Amerish Babulal “Ami Bera” and Rep. Jim McGovern.
The delegation members congratulated Prime Minister on his election for the historic third consecutive term.
They expressed deep appreciation for the scale, fairness and transparency of the recently concluded world’s largest democratic electoral exercise in India. The delegation described India- US relations as the most consequential one and expressed their strong support for further deepening Comprehensive Strategic Global Partnership in all areas, including trade, new and emerging technology, defence, people to people exchanges.
The visiting US delegation on Wednesday met with Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama at his residence in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh.
After the meeting Pelosi took in a social media post said “Today, it was my honor to join a bipartisan Congressional delegation to meet with His Holiness, the 14th @DalaiLama, in Dharamsala, India. In our meeting, we strongly reaffirmed Congressional support for the people of Tibet.”
The bipartisan delegation also met with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar along with Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra on Wednesday night.
Jaishankar appreciated their “strong and continued” support for the strategic partnership between India and the US.
In a social media post, Jaishankar said “Pleasure to meet with the bipartisan US Congressional delegation led by @RepMcCaul. Thank @SpeakerPelosi, @RepGregoryMeeks, @RepMMM, @NMalliotakis, @RepBera and @RepMcGovern for joining. Appreciate their strong and continued support for the strategic partnership.”
The US Congressional delegation had arrived in India on Tuesday and was received by officials of the Central Tibetan Administration at Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra Airport.
Upon arrival, the US lawmakers headed to Dharamshala to meet Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama.
The delegation stated their commitment to ensuring China does not influence the choice of his successor, remarks expected to provoke Beijing, which views the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader as a separatist.
These remarks coincide with efforts by Washington and Beijing to stabilize their relations, while India urges China to ensure lasting peace on their disputed Himalayan frontier, following a military clash four years ago.
The lawmakers also indicated that Washington would pressure Beijing to resume talks with Tibetan leaders, which have been stalled since 2010, to address the Tibet issue, with a bill expected to be signed by President Joe Biden soon. “It is still my hope that one day the Dalai Lama and his people will return to Tibet in peace,” McCaul told a public reception after the meeting.
Pelosi said Congress approval of the legislation, titled “Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act”, or the Resolve Tibet Act, sent a message to China that Washington was clear in its thinking on the issue of Tibet. “This bill says to the Chinese government: things have changed now, get ready for that,” she said to cheers from hundreds of Tibetans at Wednesday’s event.
