Prime Minister Narendra Modi met United States Intelligence Chief Tulsi Gabbard in New Delhi on Monday, where they exchanged gifts and discussed strategic issues. PM Modi presented Gabbard with holy Ganga water from the Maha Kumbh and a handcrafted mala.

“This is the water collected from Maha Kumbh, where about 66 crore people took a dip of faith during the auspicious period of 45 days at the Triveni Sangam, the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati,” PM Modi told Gabbard in a video shared on social media.

An excited Gabbard responded, “Thank you very much.”

In return, the US Intelligence chief gifted PM Modi a handcrafted mala as a token of appreciation.

The meeting took place shortly after India raised concerns with the United States regarding anti-India and Khalistani terror elements. Earlier in the day, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had conveyed to Gabbard India’s concerns over banned Khalistani groups, including Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), that are reportedly active within the US.

Singh urged the US to take decisive action against these groups to prevent any threats to India’s national security.

According to an official statement, the meeting between PM Modi and Gabbard underscored the importance of strategic security cooperation in the growing global partnership between India and the US.

“Rajnath Singh and Gabbard assessed the remarkable progress achieved in joint military drills, strategic alignment, the fusion of defence industrial networks, and the exchange of maritime intelligence,” the statement noted.