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PM Modi speaks to Joe Biden, wishes Kamala Harris; discusses Covid-19 pandemic, climate change
PM Modi also wished Indian-origin US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on her election to the US White House and country’s second highest office.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on late Tuesday night wished United States President-elect Joe Biden and congratulated him on his victory in the recently concluded Presidential polls, underlining increased focus on Indo-US ties.
“Spoke to US President-elect @JoeBiden on phone to congratulate him. We reiterated our firm commitment to the Indo-US strategic partnership and discussed our shared priorities and concerns - Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific Region,” PM Modi said in a tweet on Tuesday.
The prime minister also wished Indian-origin US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on her election to the US White House and country’s second highest office. “I also conveyed warm congratulations for VP-elect @KamalaHarris. Her success is a matter of great pride and inspiration for members of the vibrant Indian-American community, who are a tremendous source of strength for Indo-US relations.”
Also read: Indo-US ties will pick up, Joe Biden no stranger to India, says S Jaishankar
PM Modi’s call comes almost ten days after both the newly elected Democrat officials won in a tightly fought Presidential race with Republican nominee President Donald Trump.
Earlier in the day, external affairs minister S Jaishankar had indicated swift action in strengthening ties with the US administration and established old ties the country has with Biden. Jaishankar said that the President-elect Biden is “not a stranger to India or to the relationship” and India has dealt with him in his former roles as vice president in the Barack Obama administration.
The Indian government will face no problems in taking forward ties with the US under the Joe Biden administration because of the strong element of bipartisan support for the bilateral relationship, external affairs minister S Jaishankar had said.
“I am very confident that we will pick up where we left off (with the Donald Trump administration), we have done that over the last four administrations,” Jaishankar said while participating in an online discussion organised by the think tanks Centre for International Governance Innovation and Gateway House.
