'A pleasure and honour': Vivek Ramaswamy hails ‘insightful’ talks with PM Modi in Washington

Prime Minister Modi arrived in the United States on Wednesday (local time) and is set to meet President Trump at the White House later in the day.

Indian-American entrepreneur and Republican leader Vivek Ramaswamy expressed his delight after a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Blair House in Washington, DC, calling it a 'pleasure and honour' to welcome the Indian leader to the United States.

“It was a pleasure and honour to welcome Prime Minister Modi here. I hope he has a wonderful visit. It was a great meeting,” Ramaswamy said after the discussions.

According to Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, the two leaders had an engaging conversation on key areas such as India-US relations, innovation, biotechnology, and the role of entrepreneurship in shaping the future.

“PM @narendramodi met @VivekGRamaswamy at Blair House today. They had insightful discussions on India-U.S. ties, innovation, biotechnology, and the role of entrepreneurship in shaping the future,” Jaiswal posted on X.

PM Modi also took on to social media X saying, "We talked about diverse issues including innovation, culture and more."

Met Mr. @VivekGRamaswamy and his father-in-law in Washington DC. We talked about diverse issues including innovation, culture and more. pic.twitter.com/1yC34x5DFX
Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 13, 2025

Ramaswamy also shared his thoughts on X, praising Prime Minister Modi’s insight and depth of knowledge across various issues. “Prime Minister Modi was thoughtful and deeply knowledgeable on a wide range of issues. It was an honor to meet & welcome him today. Wishing you a wonderful trip to the United States, @narendramodi!” he posted.

Prime Minister Modi was thoughtful and deeply knowledgeable on a wide range of issues. It was an honor to meet & welcome him today. Wishing you a wonderful trip to the United States, @narendramodi! https://t.co/iMuI9kzhZn Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) February 13, 2025

Ramaswamy, who previously ran for the Republican presidential nomination before withdrawing and endorsing former President Donald Trump, had earlier served as co-head of the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) alongside Tesla CEO Elon Musk. However, he later stepped down from the role due to reported differences with Musk.

Prime Minister Modi arrived in the United States on Wednesday (local time) and is set to meet President Trump at the White House later in the day. This marks Modi’s first visit to the US since Trump’s re-election for a second term.

India’s Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, along with senior officials, welcomed Modi at the airport.

Ahead of his visit, Modi emphasised the importance of strengthening the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. In his departure statement, he noted that this trip would build on previous collaborations and set the stage for deeper engagement between the two nations.