Tuesday,June 7, 2016: Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid a garland at the Tomb of unidentified Soldiers and salaried homage to Indian-American astronaut late Kalpana Chawla at Arlington National Cemetery .

Vikas Swarup,the spokesperson of External Affairs Ministry tweet read as, “Honouring sacrifice, saluting valour. Formal engagements begin with a solemn ceremony,"

"In homage to heroism and indomitable courage," Swarup said in another tweet.

He also had a short communication with the husband and family members of Chawla, senior officials from NASA, Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams and her father at Space Shuttle Columbia Memorial.

US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter accompanied the Prime Minister. Indian Ambassador to the US Arun K Singh, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, US Ambassador to India Richard Verma and Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Nisha Desai Biswal were also present on the occasion.

Williams said, "All of us are very honored that he took time to come and acknowledge the shuttle catastrophe and the deep cooperation that we have with India in the space world,"

"Personally it is commemorating my friend (Kalpana Chawala)," Williams said.

Modi spoke to Sunita's father in Gujarati and invited them to visit India.

"With health permitting, I definitely look forward to visiting India," her father said.

"The Prime Minister said come to India. Please come and visit," she said