PM Modi Engages with US Intelligence Director Gabbard, Focuses on Strengthening India-US Relations

Washington, Feb 13 (NationPress) In his inaugural formal meeting upon his arrival, Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged with Tulsi Gabbard, who recently secured her position as the Director of National Intelligence following a Senate victory.

After their meeting on Wednesday night, PM Modi shared on X: "I congratulated her on her confirmation and discussed various facets of the India-US friendship, which she has consistently championed."

Gabbard faced significant opposition yet managed to secure her Senate confirmation with a vote tally of 52 to 48, with only one Republican, Senator Mitch McConnell, siding with the Democrats against her.

She is an American Hindu, with parents who practice the faith. Some opponents attempted to leverage her religion during their campaign against her.

Throughout her 11 years in the House of Representatives, Gabbard was a dedicated advocate for India, serving as the co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans and participating in the House Intelligence Subcommittee and the Armed Forces Committee.

Having previously been a Vice President of the Democratic Party, she switched allegiance to the Republican Party and supported Trump in the last election.

Attorney General Pam Bondi administered Gabbard's oath of office, with Trump referring to her as "an American of remarkable courage and patriotism." He pointed out her three deployments in the Army National Guard and humorously remarked on her transition, saying, "Can you believe that?"

At 43, Gabbard has encountered bipartisan skepticism regarding her capability to oversee the intelligence agencies.

After her swearing-in, Gabbard expressed gratitude to the President for his confidence and pledged to "restructure our intelligence community."

"Regrettably, the American populace harbors minimal trust in the intelligence community, primarily due to the observed weaponization and politicization of an institution meant solely for national security," stated the new Intelligence Chief.

She has previously met PM Modi multiple times, and following a 2019 meeting, she remarked, "India is the world's largest democracy and one of the United States' key partners in the Asia-Pacific region."

"It is crucial that we persist in fortifying this partnership between our two nations, which has consistently received backing from both Democratic and Republican leaders," she added.

Simultaneously, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on X that the discussions during Wednesday's meeting also emphasized boosting intelligence cooperation in counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, and addressing emerging threats.

"PM Narendra Modi had a fruitful meeting with US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard in Washington DC today. The discussions centered on enhancing intelligence collaboration in counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, and emerging threats," the post stated.

PM Modi arrived in the US capital on Wednesday at around 5:30 p.m. (Thursday, 4 a.m. IST) after a visit to France, where he co-chaired the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit with French President Emmanuel Macron.

PM Modi and Trump are scheduled for bilateral discussions at the White House on Thursday.

"Our nations will continue to collaborate closely for the benefit of our citizens and for a brighter future for our planet," PM Modi stated on X.