Kamala Harris As VP Will Further Cement India-US Relationship: White House

The appointment of as Kamala Harris US Vice President could further strengthen the relationship between India and the United States, the White House said on Friday. "The first Indian-American to serve as president or Vice President is certainly a historic moment for all of us in this country," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said while responding to a question on India-America relationship under President Joe Biden's Administration.

On Wednesday, Harris became the 49th Vice President of the United States. She is the first woman, first Black and first South Asian person to hold the office. Joe Biden, on the other hand, is now 46th President of the US. As per the press secretary, the appointment of Harris, a South Asian descent (who traces her origin to Tamil Nadu), could further help in "cementing of the importance of our relationship."

Revealing that President Biden has visited India many times, Psaki told reporters that he "respects" and "values the long bipartisan" adding that just as in the past in future too there's a possibility of "successful relationship between leaders in India and the United States." The country looks forward to a continuation of that," Psaki said.

In her first tweet, as the US Vice President, from her official handle, Kamala Harris tweeted, "Ready to serve."

Ready to serve.

— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) January 20, 2021

Harris had officially resigned from her Senate seat earlier this week. She was the second Black woman US senator, winning the election from California 17 years after Democrat Carol Moseley Braun.

She is the daughter of scientific researcher Shyamala Gopalan from Chennai and is married to lawmaker Douglas Emhoff. Harris' husband became the first 'Second Gentleman' of the US- the first male spouse of a Vice President in the US.