McCain Joins Chorus For Modi To Address Joint Congress Session

That is largely why I am traveling to India next week. And that is why I am pleased that President Obama invited the Prime Minister to visit Washington. I wish he had extended that invitation sooner, but it is positive nonetheless," he said.

In his speech, McCain said India and the U.S. have a shared interest in working together to end the scourge of extremism and terrorism that threatens stability, freedom, and prosperity across South Asia, and beyond.

"The (U.S.) President's current plan to disengage from Afghanistan is a step backward from this goal, and thus does not serve the U.S.-India strategic partnership," he said.

"For all of these reasons, and more, I hope the President will be open to re-evaluating, and revising, his withdrawal plan in light of conditions on the ground," McCain said.

If the 21st century is defined more by peace than war, more by prosperity than misery, and more by freedom than tyranny, I believe future historians will look back and point to the fact that a strategic partnership was consummated between the world's two preeminent democratic powers, India and the United States, he added.

"If we keep this vision of our relationship always uppermost in our minds, there is no dispute we cannot resolve, no investment in each other's success we cannot make, and nothing we cannot accomplish together," the Republican Senator said.

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