United States (US) President Barack Obama congratulated Narendra Modi on winning elections in India.
A White House statement read that during a telephonic conversation, Obama noted he looked forward to working closely with Modi to fulfill the extraordinary promise of the US-India strategic partnership. They agreed to continue expanding and deepening the wide-ranging cooperation between our two democracies, the statement added.
Obama also invited Modi to visit Washington at a mutually agreeable time to “further strengthen our bilateral relationship”, the statement added.
Modi is a controversial figure in Indian politics for his ultranationalist views, led his BJP party to a landslide win in nationwide polls. He was denied a US visa in 2005 over concerns for religious freedom and his alleged role in 2002 Gujarat massacre.
Meanwhile, the State Department said on Friday that the Indian prime minister would be welcomed to the United States. “As head of government, Modi would be eligible for an A-1 visa,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
