U.S. Lawmakers Hail Modi's Victory; Call for Greater Indo-U.S. Ties

WASHINGTON: Hailing the "historic victory" of Narendra Modi in general elections, several influential American lawmakers have called for rejuvenating ties with India as they invited the Prime Minister-designate to the U.S.

"What a great time! Now we have a new opportunity in India to see a new government and to see some of the challenges that we all hope are addressed.

One of those is to what can be done to create a shot in the arm for more economic prosperity in India," said Congressman Ed Royce, Chairman of the powerful House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

"With a clear majority there is now a mandate for changes to address pro-growth economic policies and having watched what happened in Gujarat, we now have that opportunity to see that (at the national level)," Royce said in his remarks at an event organised by the U.S. India Political Action Committee to celebrate the victory of BJP at the Capitol Visitor Center.

Royce said he has sent out an invitation to Modi. "We in the (House) Foreign Affairs Committee look forward to his visit," he said, adding he wants to share many issues with Modi including the all-important counter-terrorism issue.

"It (counter terrorism co-operation) is absolutely vital that the U.S. and India, pick up, step up in terms of our mutual co-operation on counter-terrorism," he said, adding mutually beneficial economic issue was?another area of co-operation.

"We need to do more to put India on the map of trade and investment," he said, adding India is the place to invest.