New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Vice President Kamala Harris for the first time and discussed significant steps to strengthen bilateral ties and issues of terrorism, global issues of common interest, including threats to democracy, Afghanistan, and the Indo-Pacific.


 US Vice President Kamala Harris, during her maiden meeting with PM Modi, has "suo motu" referred to Pakistan's role in terrorism, saying that there were terror groups working in the country and asked Islamabad to take action so that it does not impact on America and India's security.


“When the issue of terrorism came up, the Vice President suo motu referred Pakistan's role in that regard (of terrorism),” Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla told reporters when asked if the issue of Pakistan's role in terrorism came up during her meeting with Prime Minister Modi.


Kamala Harris's statement is a positive indication for India as the country has been pushing the international community to recognize Pakistan's involvement in terror activities.


According to Shringla, Harris said that there were terror groups that were working in Pakistan.


"She asked Pakistan to take action so that this will not impact on 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 has been a victim of terrorism for several decades now and on the need to rein in, and closely monitor Pakistan's support for such terrorist groups,” Shringla said, as quoted in a PTI report.


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


"As democracies around the world are under threat, it is imperative that we defend democratic principles and institutions within our respective countries and around the world. And that we maintain what we must do to strengthen democracies at home and it is incumbent on our nations to of course protect democracies in the best interests of people of our countries,” she said.


The meeting holds significance as it is a precursor to the PM Modi-Joe Biden bilateral meet which is going to be held on Friday (September) at the White House.


The meeting was also special, in a way, as Kamala Harris, the first female Vice President of the US, enjoys Indian roots. 


PM Modi also invited the 56-year-old Democratic leader to visit India.