U.S. Closely Watching Modi's Moves

WASHINGTON: Every diplomatic move of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including his latest interaction with Chinese President Xi Jinping, is being closely watched by the U.S. as it prepares to welcome Modi for a major summit with President Barack Obama next week - to glean as to how to interact with India's new prime minister who is known to spring surprises.

"Modi is not predictable, like his predecessor Manmohan Singh was; and he springs surprises at every turn," a source in the know of things told IANS declining to be named.

While Modi's statement earlier that relations between two nations "should not and cannot be influenced by incidents related to individuals" has laid to rest any nervousness on the part of the U.S. with regard to its 2005 ban on his entry, Washington is still at sea on which way things would turn out regarding interactions with Modi.

The U.S. had denied Modi a visa in 2005 over the 2002 Gujarat riots in which over 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed while he was the chief minister. It changed its policy earlier this year after it became clear that Modi was headed to lead the nation of over 1.2 billion people - a huge market for the U.S..

Modi's welcoming Xi Jinping and his wife in Ahmedabad last week and the personal touch he gave by chaperoning them during their sojourn in that city was followed with interest in Washington, as well as his tough talk with Xi on the border incursions by Chinese troops.

READ MORE: India Enters Mars Orbit, Makes History

Modi's 'Make In India' Vision Reflected In These Reforms