Tulsi Gabbard welcomes Modi to America

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Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) extended her warm welcome to Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, who will be attending a large gathering with an audience of over 50,000 at the NRG Stadium in Houston on Sunday, September 22.

President Donald Trump along with a number of high-ranking U.S. government officials, including Governors, Members of Congress and Mayors, will also be attending the event being dubbed as “Howdy, Modi!”.

“I’m very happy to see that Howdy Modi is bringing together Indian Americans and Hindu Americans from across our country, including many of my colleagues in the U.S. Congress.”  said Gabbard.

“India is the world’s oldest and largest democracy, and one of the United States most important allies. The Unites States and India must work closely together if we are to address the pressing issues that impact our nations, our countries, and the entire world—such as combating climate change, preventing nuclear war and nuclear proliferation, and improving the economic well-being of our people,” she said, in a statement.

Gabbard described the wonderful opportunity the U.S. and India has for “… a strong and lasting partnership between our two great nations, a partnership based on shared values and objectives. Let us work together to usher in a 21st century of aloha—respect and love for others, no matter our race, religion, ethnicity, caste, economic status or political affiliations.”

Gabbard is a former Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans. She was part of a select group of Members of Congress to greet and escort Prime Minister Modi to the podium when he addressed a Joint Session of Congress in June 2016 and has welcomed him to events promoting greater U.S.-India relations. A long-time advocate for greater ties between the U.S. and India, she also congratulated Modi when he was first selected as Prime Minister following the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Gabbard has also promoted greater trade between Hawai‘i and India as well as broader U.S.-India cooperation across sectors. In 2018, she led the effort to create a Sister-State relationship between Hawai‘i and Goa, India.

Gabbard is serving her fourth term in the United States House representing Hawaii’s Second District, and serves on the House Armed Services and Financial Services Committees. She previously served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Homeland Security Committee. She was elected to the Honolulu City Council in 2010, and prior to that at age 21, was elected to the Hawaiʻi State Legislature in 2002, becoming the youngest person ever elected in the state.

Gabbard has served in the Hawaiʻi Army National Guard for 16 years, is a veteran of two Middle East deployments, and continues to serve as a Major. She is a candidate for the Democratic nomination for president of the United States in 2020 and is the first female combat veteran and first Hindu to run for president.