Obama: Looking Forward To Working With Next Indian Govt

By siliconindia | Tuesday, 13 May 2014, 11:00 Hrs

"As you know, we don't take positions in domestic politics in India or anywhere else," she said when asked if Modi has the support of the U.S.

"As this has been election season in a large, pluralistic, multiparty democracy, it's not a surprise that it's going to take some time to, obviously, process the voting and we look forward to working with the next leader," Psaki said.

Parrying the visa issue she said: "As you know, we don't speak to visa acceptances, applications, et cetera. So I don't have anything for you on that."

Asked if the U.S. viewed a successful election in India and successful relations with India as a counterweight to the Chinese, the spokesperson said: "We view our relationship with India as one that's vitally important for economic, strategic reasons, and one that we look forward to continuing to grow in the future."

"India continues to play a critical role in advancing prosperity, democracy, and stability across the Indo-Pacific region," she stated earlier.

"Whether we're working together to educate the next generation of engineers and entrepreneurs, or combating global challenges like climate change and violent extremism, the U.S.-India partnership is essential to securing a brighter future for both of our peoples," Psaki said.

"We look forward to working with the leaders chosen by the Indian people to advance this important partnership and to set an ambitious agenda," she said.

Psaki also congratulated "the people of India on their participation in the largest-ever free and fair democratic election in human history."

"Over 500 million eligible voters peacefully went to the polls over the last six weeks, often in remote or challenging locations," she noted.

"These elections are an inspiring example of the power of the democratic process in action, and the United States, like so many others around the world, has great admiration and respect for the vibrancy, diversity, and resilience of India's democracy," Psaki said.

Source: IANS