Obama is supportive of India: PM

V S Chandrasekar

On Board PM's Special Aircraft, Jul 11 (PTI) Allaying
scepticism over Barak Obama's approach towards New Delhi,
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday said the US
President is very supportive and there is no basis for
apprehension that his administration would be less sensitive
to India's concerns than the previous government.

"I find President Obama to be very supportive of India's
development ambitions. He has great admiration for India,"
Singh told accompanying journalists while returning from Italy
where he attended the Summit of eight industrialised nations
and five major emerging economies.

The Prime Minister said Obama had himself mentioned to
him more than once over the last two days that he was "very
supportive" of India. "That is the impression he gave me in
London and that is the consistent impression that I have got
that we have a very responsive President Obama as far as
India's aspirations are concerned."

Singh was responding when asked about his assessment on
Obama's approach towards India as there was a feeling that his
administration was not as warm as the previous one.

"There is no basis for apprehension that the Obama
administration will be less sensitive to India's concerns than
the previous US administration," he said.

Noting that he spent considerable time with Obama
yesterday in L'Aquila, the Prime Minister said "He and I were
sitting side by side in the session on Agriculture. We
exchanged notes on a large number of issues."

Singh said he was looking forward to his visit to
Washington to meet Obama. He also pointed out that he had
invited the US President to pay a visit to India. PTI AKK
DDC
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