New York fortunate to have incredibly vibrant, diverse, successful Indian American community: Senator Chuck Schumer

New York [US], June 22 : US Senator Chuck Schumer on Thursday said New York is fortunate to have an incredibly vibrant, diverse, successful Indian American community.

"Here in New York, we're so fortunate to have an incredibly vibrant and diverse, successful Indian American community that enriches our city and state in so many different ways. People from every part of India and every religion have energized so many communities here," Schumer said on Thursday.

The US Senator said: "Indian Americans contribute mightily to our culture, our economy, our entertainment, our politics, and every other facet of life. In February, I was honoured to lead the largest and most senior US Senate delegation to India ever."

The Senator from New York said it's his pleasure to congratulate India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his historic state visit to America.

The US Senator said he made India his first government trip as Majority Leader to show his commitment to the importance of the US, India relationship.

"We spent more than an hour and a half with the Prime Minister, and we learned so much about how great India is and why it is becoming one of the very leading powers of the world. We realized what a strong US, India relationship is essential to promoting our democracy in the region, growing the world economy, boosting technological progress and competitiveness of both our nations and being a barrier to China, India's traditional enemy," Schumer said.

The US Senator said he is amazed by what he saw and experienced in India, "a beautiful and diverse country, a proud and long history that is filled with hardworking, ambitious, talented people who are together creating the destiny of a vibrant, pluralistic democracy."

"I welcome his visit as the next step in deepening the partnership between our countries. I greatly look forward to working with India and the whole Indian American community in New York to move forward on issues of shared interest and mutual gain," the Senator said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday arrived at the White House to a ceremonial welcome and was hosted by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.

After addressing visitors, largely comprising members of the Indian diaspora, on the South Lawns of the White House, PM Modi and President Biden retired to the Oval Office for a bilateral meeting to further boost the growing Indo-US strategic relations in areas like defence, space, clean energy and critical technologies.

Upon his arrival at the White House lawns, PM Modi, dressed in a traditional white kurta pyjama teamed with a powder blue jacket was greeted by President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.

A US delegation led by Vice President Kamala Harris, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin also gathered on the South Lawns to greet PM Modi.

An Indian delegation, led by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra and Indian Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Sandhu, were also present at the White House.

National anthems of India and the US played out as thousands of people gathered on the South Lawns in anticipation of PM Modi's grand welcome.