Washington DC

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday attended the 'Hi-Tech Handshake' event at the White House where he interacted with the top CEOs of India and the United States.

Advertisment

During the event, he underlined the significance of technology and how it can help a country progress. He further said that talent and technology, if combined together can lead towards a brighter future.

"The coming together of talent and technology guarantees a brighter future," said PM Modi at the Hi-Tech Handshake event with top CEOs of the US and India at the White House.

PM Modi during the event met with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra, Reliance Industries Chairman and MD Mukesh Ambani, Zerodha and True Beacon Co-Founder Nikhil Kamath and several others.

Advertisment

×

President Joe Biden during the event said, "India, US cooperation matters, not just for our own people but quite frankly to the whole world as our partnership is about more than the next breakthrough or the next deal as big as they may be. It is about tackling climate change, about exploring the universe, about lifting people out of poverty, preventing pandemics & giving our citizens real opportunity."

US State Department along with VP Kamala Harris host PM Modi at luncheon

Advertisment

On Friday, the US State Department along with Vice President Kamala Harris hosted PM Modi at a luncheon where US Secretary of State Antony Blinken underlined how India is a part of their daily lives.

"Here in the US, India is part of our daily lives. We enjoy our Jhumpa Lahiri novels over samosas. We laugh at the comedies of Mindy Kaling. We dance to the beats of Diljit at Coachella. We keep ourselves more or less fit and healthy doing Yoga," said Blinken.

Blinken then raised a toast to the India-US relations at the state kuncheon.

"Whether we call it the American dream or Indian dream...our people believe profoundly in opportunity. No matter who we are or where we come from, we can make something more of ourselves," said Blinken as he raised a toast "to the shared hopes of the US and India."

×

US Vice President Kamala Harris on the other hand also reflected upon the impact the Indian Americans have had on the United States in every facet of life.

"I am struck by the extraordinary impact Indian Americans have had on our country in every facet of life. Take for example the historic number of members of the United States Congress with Indian heritage," the US Vice President said at the state luncheon attended by PM Narendra Modi on Friday.

"Prime Minister Modi, we are honoured to welcome you. We also welcome the members of the President's Cabinet who are here and all of the members of Congress who are here," she said.

The US Vice President further said: "We see the impact of Indian Americans from American companies to neighbourhood businesses, from the studios of Hollywood to university research labs across our country."

She said India is an important part of her life. "When my sister Maya and I were growing up, our mother would take us to India pretty much every other year. And the purpose of those trips was that we would well understand where she came from, what produced her, so that we could spend time with our grandparents, with my uncle," Harris said during her address.

"As I travel the world as Vice-President, I've seen the impact of India's global impact. In South East Asia, India-made vaccines saved lives. In the African continent, India's longstanding partnerships support prosperity and security. Through the Indo-Pacific, India helps promote a free and open region," she added.

PM Modi was on his sixth, and maiden state visit to the United States.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE