Washington: On one hand, relations between America and India are tense, while on the other hand, the leadership of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being appreciated in America. Influential American lawmakers have described Prime Minister Modi as an important leader who is giving a new direction to India’s role on the global stage. He says that Washington considers PM Modi’s leadership as central to the long-term strengthening of the India-US partnership.

Speaking at an event organized at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, US House of Representatives member Rich McCormick praised Prime Minister Modi’s policies and thinking.
McCormick said that PM Modi’s approach is completely focused on national interest and is in line with India’s development goals. He is extremely nationalist in the good sense.

We don’t like it, but they are working in the interest of India.

Congressional India Caucus co-chair and MP Rich McCormick said- ‘PM Modi takes care of his country the same way we take care of ours. He wants to bring productivity, expansion and new technologies to India. He also said that American lawmakers understand the thinking of PM Modi in which he emphasizes on building capacity within the country in areas like defense and manufacturing. The Prime Minister wants India’s military power to develop within the country. Rich McCormick also acknowledged that there are differences of opinion on some issues. Referring to India purchasing Russian oil at concessional rates, McCormick said, ‘We don’t like it, but they are doing this in the interest of their country so that they can expand their economy through cheap energy.’

Modi is the most popular leader after Gandhi

McCormick also said that Prime Minister Modi understands well the importance of coordination with America. He knows that we have similar thinking at the ideological level. McCormick also said that in my opinion, PM Modi is the most popular politician in modern history. He is probably the most popular leader after Gandhi. He also mentioned the thoughts of Prime Minister Modi in which he talked about understanding the diversity of India. The Prime Minister had said that he does not trust a politician who has never traveled across India from North to South or from South to North in a normal train coach.

Ami Bera, the longest serving Indian-American Congressman of the US Congress, who was present at the event, said that PM Modi’s tenure is linked to India’s global rise. He said that India is a very important part of our entire Indo-Pacific strategy and this strategic thinking has been consistent in many American administrations. Ami Bera said that India’s rapidly growing domestic market and growing self-confidence have started reshaping global economic and strategic equations.