The White House on Friday (May 17) applauded the people of India for exercising their right to vote in the ongoing general elections in the country and said that there are “not too many vibrant democracies in the world than India”. White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby’s remarks came while responding to a question on the Indian elections in which over 969 million people are exercising their right to franchise at one million polling stations to elect 545 members of parliament from thousands of candidates representing as many as 2,660 registered political parties.
“Not too many more vibrant democracies in the world than India. And we applaud the Indian people for exercising, you know, their ability to vote, and to have a voice in their future government. And we wish them well throughout the process, of course,” Kirby told reporters at a news conference.
India-US relationship strengthened under PM Modi: White House
Responding to another question, Kirby said that the India-US relationship has strengthened under Prime Minister Narendra Modi in particular during the last three years of the Biden administration. “Our relationship with India is extremely close and getting closer,” he said.
“You saw it on a State visit (last visit). We launched all kinds of new initiatives, working on critical emerging technologies together, and bolstering and expanding the relevance of the Indo-Pacific quad, of course, which India is a part of. And then, just the people to people exchanges, and the military that we share with India,” Kirby added.
“It's a very vibrant, very active partnership. We are grateful for Prime Minister Modi's leadership,” the White House official noted.
When asked if President Joe Biden believes that India and Japan are xenophobic countries, he responded in the negative and said the president was recently making a broader point.
“I mean, the president was making a broader point here about the vibrancy of our own democracy, here in the United States, and how inclusive and participatory it is,” Kirby said.
(With PTI inputs)
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