US Congressional delegation meets PM Modi on visit to India

New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, June 20, 2024, met with a bipartisan Congressional delegation from United States led by Republican Congressman Michael McCaul, which is currently on a visit to India.

Former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is part of the delegation that called on PM Modi.

The delegation had met the previous day with Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama at his residence in Dharamshala.

After the meeting Pelosi took to X to post: “Today, it was my honor to join a bipartisan Congressional delegation to meet with His Holiness, the 14th @DalaiLama, in Dharamsala, India. In our meeting, we strongly reaffirmed Congressional support for the people of Tibet.”

US Representatives – Gregory Meeks, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Nicole Malliotakis, Indian American Dr. Ami Bera, and Jim McGovern are the other members of the visiting delegation.

The bipartisan delegation also met with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar along with Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra on June 19 night.

Jaishankar appreciated their “strong and continued” support for the strategic partnership between India and the US.

In a post on X, the EAM stated, “Pleasure to meet with the bipartisan US Congressional delegation led by @RepMcCaul. Thank @SpeakerPelosi, @RepGregoryMeeks, @RepMMM, @NMalliotakis, @RepBera and @RepMcGovern for joining. Appreciate their strong and continued support for the strategic partnership.”

The US Congressional delegation had arrived in India on Tuesday and was received by officials of the Central Tibetan Administration at Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra Airport.

Upon arrival, the US lawmakers headed to Dharamshala to meet The Dalai Lama.

Representative McCaul presented the Dalai Lama with a framed copy of ‘The Resolve Tibet Act’, a bipartisan bill passed by the US Congress to enhance US support for Tibet.

Last week, the US Congress passed the bill urging Beijing to re-engage with the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan leaders to peacefully resolve their dispute over the status and governance of Tibet.

Before meeting the Dalai Lama, the US delegates attended a public felicitation program at the main Tibetan temple. Children performed and displayed Tibetan culture at the  ceremony in the courtyard of the Tsuglagkhang Complex in Dharamshala.

The Dalai Lama presented a Buddha statue to Pelosi at the end of the meeting with the US delegation, the office of the Dalai Lama said.