New Delhi, March 17: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United States Intelligence Chief Tulsi Gabbard met in the national capital on Monday, exchanging not just pleasantries but also gifts in the form of Ganga Jal (holy Ganga water) and a handcrafted mala.

PM Modi presented the visiting US Intel chief with Ganga Jal from the Maha Kumbh, while briefing her about the significance of world’s largest-ever religious gathering.

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

“Thank you very much,” said an exhilarated Gabbard.

The US Intelligence chief also presented a handcrafted mala to the Prime Minister, in return.

The meeting took place hours after India flagged the issue of anti-India and Khalistani terror elements to the United States.

In a meeting held earlier in the day, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had conveyed to the US Director of National Intelligence India's concerns regarding anti-national elements, particularly the pro-Khalistani factions that included banned outfits like the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), active within the US.

Defence Minister Singh, according to sources, urged the US government to adopt resolute measures against the banned terror outfits.

The meeting between these two prominent figures highlighted the critical role of strategic security as a cornerstone of the expansive global partnership between India and the US, said an official statement.

"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 said. (IANS)

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