US VP Kamala Harris nails Pakistan's role in backing terror groups in meeting with PM Modi

In a big embarrassment for Pakistan, US vice president Kamala Harris acknowledged its nefarious role in backing terror groups during her meeting with PM Modi. Addressing a press briefing, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla revealed that Harris not only acknowledged that terror outfits are operational in Pakistan but also agreed with the fact that India has been a victim of cross-border terrorism. Moreover, she demanded strict action against the terror groups to ensure that there is no threat to the security of both India as well as the US. 

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla remarked, "Essentially, the discussions were substantive. They lasted over an hour. The meeting reflected warmth and cordiality. The discussion covered a number of areas which included COVID-19, climate change and the issue of terrorism and of course, cooperation in the technology sector including cybersecurity, space, etc. In that context when the issue of terrorism came up, the Vice President suo moto referred to Pakistan's role in that regard." 

Harris said that it is incumbent on the two nations to protect democracies in the best interests of people of the two countries.

"She said that there were terror groups that were working there. She asked Pakistan to take action so that these groups do not impact US security and that of India. She agreed with the Prime Minister's briefing on the fact of cross-border terrorism and the fact that India had been a victim of terrorism for several decades now and also the need to reign in and closely monitor Pakistan's support for such terrorism," he added. 

During their first-ever bilateral meeting, the two leaders also exchanged views on Afghanistan and reaffirmed their commitment towards a "free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region". Moreover, they discussed the COVID-19 situation in their respective countries including the efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of collaborative action on climate change and the areas of future cooperation including space cooperation, Information Technology, and the healthcare sector. On this occasion, PM Modi invited Harris and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff to visit India soon.

PM Modi's US visit

PM Modi landed at the Joint Base Andrews, Washington DC on September 22 for his 3-day visit in which he has numerous high-profile engagements lined up. On his second foreign visit since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, he has been accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and other senior officials such as Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla. On his arrival, the PM was received by India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu and US Dy Secy of State for Management & Resources TH Brian McKeon.

He flagged off his engagements on Thursday by holding meetings with the CEOs of Qualcomm, Adobe, First Solar, General Atomics and Blackstone regarding investment in India. Apart from meeting with US Vice President Kamala Harris, the PM also held one-to-one talks with his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison and Japanese counterpart Yoshihide Suga. On September 24, he will meet US president Joe Biden and participate in the Quad Leaders' Summit along with Biden, Morrison and Suga. 

India, Australia, the US and Japan have formed the 'Quad' coalition to counter China’s aggressive behaviour in the Indo-Pacific region. PM Modi's last engagement will be in New York at 9 pm on September 25 where he will address the general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly. While this year's theme is 'Building Resilience through hope to recover from COVID-19, rebuild sustainably, respond to the needs of the planet, respect the rights of people, and revitalise the United Nations', the PM will raise issues such as cross-border terrorism during his address.