Washington: Ahead of a historic address at the US Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy at US Capitol on Thursday.

Both leaders shook hands as they met, while PM Modi thanked McCarthy for providing him with the opportunity to address the joint session of the US Congress.

US Vice President Kamala Harris also arrived at the House of Representatives, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the joint session of the US Congress.

Prime Minister Modi's first visit to the US took place in 2014, during which he had a working visit and delivered his inaugural speech at the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

He visited the US again in 2016, for the Nuclear Security Summit. During this visit, he also met then-US President Barack Obama at the White House and held bilateral talks. PM Modi also delivered his maiden address at the US Congress and spoke on a range of topics including terrorism, climate change and the strong Indo-US relationship.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Indian-American Congressman Shri Thanedar recently said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US is "historic." He called it an "honour" to escort PM Modi to his address at the joint session of the US Congress.

Shri Thanedar said, "This is an important visit and this is a historic visit. Not only this is important for the world's oldest democracy, which is the United States, and the largest democracy, which is India, but it's not just important for these two countries, it is also important for the world because peace in the India-Pacific region, Indian Ocean region, is very, very important. And this historic relationship will ensure that we have peace in that region."

"It is a great honour for me to be able to come and be able to escort Mr Modi to his historic address, to the joint session of the US. Congress," Shri Thanedar said.

Prime Minister Modi is currently on his sixth visit and maiden State visit to the US.

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address at the Joint Sitting of the US Congress, a gathering of Indian diaspora and Tibetan community members assembled outside the US Capitol on Thursday (local time), expressing their enthusiasm by chanting slogans such as 'Bharat Mata ki Jai,' 'Vande Mataram,' and 'Welcome Modi.'