US Secretary of State Antony Blinken praises PM Modi, says his policies have benefited people and allies

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday that the United States views India as an “extraordinary success story”. He said the US has seen how the policies of the Indian government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi have benefited the people. He added that India’s leadership under Prime Minister Modi has benefited the relations of many allied countries.

“We are witnessing an extraordinary success story and we have seen the extraordinary achievements that Prime Minister Modi has made under his leadership, which has delivered tangible benefits and positive impact to many allies,” Secretary Blinken said at the World Economic Forum, as quoted by ANI.

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Blinken said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies and programs have been very beneficial to the people of India. According to PTI, the US official was responding to a question about whether the rise of Hindu nationalism was a concern for India, despite strong economic growth and infrastructure building in the country under Modi.

Blinken said that US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Modi enjoy excellent relations and their talks cover all aspects. He added that India-US talks always emphasize the importance of democracy and human rights.

“We also see our relationship between our countries being in a new place, a new level. That has been a very conscious effort by both the Prime Minister and President Biden. At the same time, a regular and ongoing part of our conversation is talking about democracy and human rights,” Blinken said, as quoted by ANI.

He added: “When the president (Biden) came into office, he wanted to make sure that we brought that back into our foreign policy… We’re doing that in different ways in different places. Because of the nature of the relationship that we have with the country, with the government, it’s part of a very ongoing, very real conversation, and the conversation that we’re having is obviously making positive changes.”

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According to the report, Blinken also commented on Taiwan’s recent presidential election and reaffirmed U.S. support for the status quo of the island nation. He said: “We see a very strong reaffirmation of democracy. We congratulated the people of Taiwan. Our fundamental interest is to maintain peace and stability.”

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“One of the symbols of the success of the United States-China relationship since the establishment of diplomatic relations has been the management of the Taiwan issue. The premium we had in maintaining the status quo,” Blinken

The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum provides a platform where thought leaders, policymakers and industry experts can exchange ideas and perspectives on critical global issues.

(With agency guidance)