PM dismisses reports of Obama snub

Onboard PM's Special Aircraft, Nov 11 (PTI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has made light of reports that US President-elect Barack Obama ignored India while making telephone calls to leaders of various countries after his election to America's top office.

"No, this is not true... President Obama wanted to talk to me day before yesterday (Nov 8) (but) we could not establish contact because the time that was suggested was too short for me (to establish contact). Since then, I have been travelling... as soon as I go back (we will try to establish contact)," Singh said when asked if the newly elected US President had ignored India by not calling him.

Singh was talking to reporters late last night on way back to New Delhi from his maiden three-day visit to the energy rich Gulf region.

Obama had called fifteen world leaders including Pakistan
President Asif Ali Zardari after being elected US President.

As Singh did not get any call from Obama, there were suggestions that the next US President was ignoring India.

Singh said Obama had written to him a "very warm" letter even before he was elected President.

"I had myself written a warm letter to him," he said.

Singh was hopeful that Indo-US ties under Obama will
further be strengthened.

"I got a very warm letter from him, a detailed letter
spelling out his approach to India, his approach to
international affairs and therefore, I have every reason to
believe that India's relations with the US under President
Obama will become stronger than ever before," he said.

The Prime Minister said he had received immediate
acknowledgement of the condolence message he had sent to Obama
on the death of his grandmother.

"I also condoled his grandmother's death and he
immediately acknowledged that letter," Singh added. PTI