Washington: Influential US lawmakers described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a pivotal leader shaping India’s global role, saying Washington increasingly views his leadership as central to the long-term durability of the US–India partnership.
Speaking at a Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) event, Representative Rich McCormick said PM Modi’s approach reflects a strong national focus aligned with India’s development goals. “Prime Minister Modi is extremely nationalistic in a good way,” McCormick said.
“He’s looking after his country just like we look after our country. He wants to bring productivity and expansion, and technologies to his country,” said McCormick, he is Co-Chair of the Congressional India Caucus.
McCormick said US lawmakers understand PM Modi’s emphasis on domestic capacity-building, including in defence and manufacturing. “He wants the military to be built up inside of his country,” he said, noting that some Indian policies can complicate collaboration but are rooted in national priorities.
At the same time, McCormick acknowledged areas of friction, including India’s energy purchases. Referring to India’s buying of discounted Russian oil, he said, “We hate that. But he’s doing it for the best interest of his country so he can expand his economy with cheap energy.”
Despite such differences, McCormick stressed that PM Modi recognises the importance of alignment with the United States. “In the end, I think he understands how important we are because we are like-minded,” he said.
Representative Ami Bera, the longest-serving Indian American member of Congress, said PM Modi’s tenure coincides with India’s rise as a central player in US strategy. “India’s been very key to our whole Indo-Pacific strategy,” Bera said, referencing continuity across multiple US administrations.
McCormick described PM Modi as an unusually influential political figure. “I think he’s the most popular politician in modern history by far,” he said, adding, “Probably the most popular guy since Gandhi.”
He also recalled PM Modi’s emphasis on understanding India’s diversity. McCormick said the prime minister once remarked that he does not trust any politician who has not “rode the train from south to north or north to south in coach,” a reference to experiencing India’s social and cultural breadth firsthand.
Both lawmakers suggested PM Modi’s governance style gives him an intuitive understanding of democratic complexity. “United States and India have to think similar in the way that we approach our population,” McCormick said, citing India’s diversity in religion, language, and politics.
Bera said PM Modi’s leadership has coincided with India’s growing international confidence. “They see how fast the Indian domestic market is growing,” he said, adding that India’s trajectory is reshaping global economic and strategic calculations.
(IANS)
