Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday kickstarted his three-day visit to the United States, to attend the historic QUAD meeting by having a tête-à-tête with Vice President Kamala Harris. It was the first time that the two leaders came across face to face and if reports are to be believed, Kamala instantly brought Pakistan and its role in terrorism into the conversation.
According to a PTI report, during the meeting with PM Modi, Kamala ‘suo moto’ referred to Pakistan’s role in terrorism. Harris mentioned that terror groups were working in Pakistan and that she asked Islamabad to take action so that this matter does not threaten the security of India and the United States.
A ministry official was quoted as saying, “When the issue of terrorism came up, the vice president suo moto referred to Pakistan’s role in that regard (terrorism),”
Later, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, whilst addressing the reporters confirmed the news and remarked, “She (Harris) asked Pakistan to take action so that this will not impact US security and that of India. She agreed with the Prime Minister’s briefing on the fact of cross-border terrorism, and the fact that India has been a victim of terrorism for several decades now and on the need to rein in, and closely monitor Pakistan’s support for such terrorist groups.”
PM Modi took to Twitter as well to talk about the meet. He tweeted, “Glad to have met @VP @KamalaHarris . Her feat has inspired the entire world. We talked about multiple subjects that will further cement the India-USA friendship, which is based on shared values and cultural linkages.”
Glad to have met @VP @KamalaHarris. Her feat has inspired the entire world. We talked about multiple subjects that will further cement the India-USA friendship, which is based on shared values and cultural linkages. pic.twitter.com/46SvKo2Oxv
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 24, 2021
Kamala and her previous pro-Pakistan line
Kamala taking the name of Pakistan in her first meeting with PM Modi is indeed significant as the democrat leader had engineered her entire poll campaign around wooing the Indian-American voters with her long-lost Indian identity. However, her actions afterwards, whether it be blocking the raw material required for the vaccines or indirectly using her niece to target the Modi government during the farmer’s protest.
In 2019, Kamala had evoked Kashmir and toed a line that did not go down well with Indians. When seeking the presidential nomination from the Democratic Party, Kamala had remarked, “We have to remind the Kashmiris that they are not alone in the world. We are keeping a track on the situation,”.
Her statements at the time led experts to give a verdict that Kamala had fallen for Pakistani propaganda, and might even have a soft side for India’s enemy.
Democrats and their love for Pakistan
And the history and the current climate back it up. Ever since Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, the US has been unusually quiet in targeting Pakistan. The terror state has had an important part to play in the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan.
It was Pakistan’s support to the terror outfit that led American diplomats and troops to scurry around, wanting to leave the country desperately whilst abandoning expensive military-grade equipment’s worth billions.
PM Modi — a leader of the new world order
There’s no getting around the fact that Democrats have been traditionally Pro-Pakistani but toeing a similar line against PM Modi, who is fast becoming a leader of the new world order, even overshadowing the US, could have had negative repercussions. Thus, to charm the Indian PM, Kamala immediately brought the big guns and cracked open the pandora box of Pakistan and terrorism.
Although New Delhi will be circumspect and take Kamala’s renewed vigour to initiate Pakistan dialogue with a pinch of salt. As far as President Joe Biden is concerned, he will host PM Modi at the White House tomorrow – the first in-person meeting between the two leaders after Biden took over as the US President in January this year.