PM Narendra Modi has become face of India; development, economy improved: Congressman Brad Sherman

Senior American Congressman Brad Sherman praises Prime Minister Modi for India's economic progress, while highlighting challenges in Indo-U.S. relationship.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become the face of India, a senior American Congressman has said as he applauded the Indian leader for the developmental work and the economic progress the country has seen since 2014.

Brad Sherman, considered to be one of the best friends of India in the U.S. Congress, said that India and the U.S. have seen a strengthening of the bilateral relationship during the tenure of Prime Minister Modi.

However, he said that India's defence relationship with Russia is a challenge in the Indo-U.S. relationship. "He [Modi] has become the face of India and we've seen very significant economic progress. Of course, every country has its challenges, every leader has its challenges. I don't ascribe the success of a country just to one leader. I mean, you've got 1.3 (sic) plus billion people and they're all working together to try to make India a more successful country,” Mr. Sherman told PTI in an interview on April 9.

Mr. Sherman (69) is the senior Democrat in the House Foreign Affairs Committee and has been working on the India-U.S. relationship for the last 28 years.

"There's been a tremendous strengthening of the U.S.-India relationship. I know this because I am the former chair of the U.S. India Caucus in the United States House, which is the largest. We made it the largest of all of the bipartisan caucuses. We have seen so much, particularly in the defence area with the largest joint operations and exercises with the sharing of military intelligence and a focus on trying to keep the Indo-Pacific free and peaceful,” he said.

“The trade between the United States and India has skyrocketed. Of course, Indo-Americans are the best educated and have the highest income of all the ethnic groups here in the United States,” Mr. Sherman said.

The Congressman said he would like to see the trade relationship expand between the two countries.