Obama invites Modi to visit US

WASHINGTON: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is welcome in the United States. The Obama administration extended the most explicit invitation to India’s prime minister-to-be on Friday, indicating that the visa flap that had dogged ties with him is a thing of the past. White House officials said President Obama himself will reach out to him with a phone call shortly.

Separately, senior State Department officials said the visa thing is now a non-issue, overruling overzealous spokespersons who doggedly stuck to the bureaucratic script in repeating ad nauseum that his visa will be considered on merit etc. Officials explained that as a head of government, Modi will merit a different treatment altogether.

“Everything will be alright,” a senior official said on the sideline of a reception the Indian ambassador to Washington S Jaishankar hosted at the conclusion of the elections and the announcement of the results.

Droves of India experts and administration officials dropped by at the luncheon where everyone, without exception, expressed astonishment at the staggering size and scope of the BJP victory.

Representatives of US trade and industry, business and commerce were clearly beside themselves with delight at the clear mandate the Indian electorate had given to the BJP, saying it paved way for the incoming government to take swift decisions without being weighed down by coalition politics.

A representative of the Ford Motor Company, whose CEO will be in India early next month expressed admiration for the electorate saying the outcome was one that would be good for India and for foreign investment.

The White House spokesman Jay Carney also praised the outgoing prime minister Manmohan Singh for his contribution to India-US relations and said ties would continue to remain bright going forward.

Earlier, US Secretary of State John Kerry tweeted his congratulations to prime minister-designate Narendra Modi on his historic victory in the general elections.

“Congrats to @narendramodi and BJP. Look forward to working w/you/growing shared prosperity/security w/world’s largest democracy,” Kerry, who is travelling to London, said on the micro blogging site.

Kerry’s remarks came after the White House National Security Council also took to Twitter to convey its greeting.

“US congratulates BJP on its victory in India’s historic election; we look forward to working w/govt once formed to advance our partnership,” the National Security (NSC) of the White House said in its tweet.

“After the largest democratic election in history, US congratulates the BJP for its victory and looks forward to working closely with new government,” tweeted Ben Rhodes, the Deputy National Security Advisor and a close aide of President Barack Obama.

Courtesy : TOI,IANS