Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice President Kamala Harris had bilateral talks on Thursday afternoon. Mr. Modi was received at the 150 year old Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which houses the Vice President’s ceremonial office.

The meeting started with comments at the top, with some of the press in the room . Not all the travelling Indian press were present – access has been a challenge– with officials saying only state run media and at least one private news agency were allowed to attend on the Indian side. Rashtra News was able to gain access at the last minute.

Ms. Harris spoke first, and Mr. Modi next, with interpreters translating between English and Hindi.

Mr. Modi spoke about the warmth of Ms. Harris’s message in a phone call earlier this year when India was facing its second pandemic wave.

“Excellency, some months ago, we had an opportunity to talk to each other on the phone. We had a detailed discussion at that time. And the way you spoke to me so warmly and so naturally, I will always remember that. Thank you so much,” Mr Modi said, calling Ms Harris a “true friend” and acknowledging the help of the U.S. government, its private sector and the Indian diaspora.

India and the U.S. , being the largest and oldest democracies respectively, were “natural allies,” Mr. Modi said, and shared similar values and geopolitical interests. The Prime Minister said that the strengthening of supply chains, technology and space were important areas for both countries and where cooperation was important.

He called Ms. Harris’s election an “important and historic event” and a source of inspiration for many, globally. Ms. Harris is the first female Vice President of the U.S., and is of African American and Indian descent. Mr. Modi appeared to refer to this India connection and invited Ms. Harris to visit.

“Excellency, continuing on your — this journey of victory, Indians also would want you to continue that in India and, therefore, they’re waiting to welcome you. And therefore, I extend to you specially an invitation to visit India,” Mr. Modi said. Ms. Harris could be seen breaking out in a smile, behind her face mask.

Ms. Harris said India was a “very important” partner to the U.S. and the two countries had worked tougher to make the world safer and stronger.

She said that India was a source of vaccines for other countries early in the pandemic ánd that the U.S. was “proud” to support India’s vaccination efforts.

“The United States is very proud to support India and its need and responsibility to vaccinate its people, and I welcome India’s announcement that we should be able to resume vaccine exports,” she said, commending the daily rate of vaccination in India.

Ms. Harris said India and the U.S. working together on climate change – a cause supported by the governments of both countries – could have a “profound” impact. She also made a reference to the fragilities and the importance of the relationships in the Indo Pacific.

“And as it relates to the end of Pacific, the United States, like India, feels very strongly about the pride of being a member of the Indo Pacific, but also the fragilities and the importance and strength as well of those relationships including maintaining a free and open Indo Pacific,” she said.

Ms. Harris said it was “imperative” for India and the U.S. to strengthen democracy within their respective countries, defend democratic principles and institutions.

“Finally, 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,” Ms. Harris said.

“ And it is incumbent on our nations to, of course, protect democracies in the best interest of the people of our countries,” she said making a reference to her own family’s experience .

“I know from personal experience and from my family of the commitment of the Indian people to democracy and to freedom and to the work that may be done and can be done to imagine and then actually achieve our vision for democratic principles and institutions,” Ms. Harris said.

The Prime Minister’s delegation included External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and India’s U.S. Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu.

The Vice President’s delegation was comprised of (as per her office) : Nancy McEldowney, Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor to the Vice President, Tina Flournoy, Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Vice President, Philip Gordon, Special Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor to the Vice President, Kurt Campbell, Deputy Assistant to the President and Coordinator for the Indo-Pacific, National Security Council, Donald Lu, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Department of State and David Richelsoph, Special Advisor to the Vice President for South Asia.