US poll results not to affect ties with India: Obama

Given the "strong bipartisan" support for India in the US, President Barack Obama today said the results of the Congressional polls in which his Democrats got a drubbing was not going to affect ties with this country.

Noting that his country has enormous "fondness" for India, Obama  said the United States does not just see India as a rising power, saying "we believe India is already risen."

Showering praise on India's dynamic economy and its strategic role in Asia and beyond, Obama said there is a strong bipartisan belief in the US that this country is going to be a critical partner for it in the 21st century.

Obama made these remarks when asked by a student at an interaction at St.Xavier's college how the changes he hopes to make in the wake of the drubbing by Democrats in the US Congressional elections would affect India.

The president in his response had also spoken of the "course corrections" required in his presidency.

Obama said the partnership between India and the US has "limitless potential" to improve the lives of people of the two countries.

"Indo-US relations will be indispensable in shaping the 21st century...The US has enormous fondness for India. India is going to be a critical partner for the US in 21st century," he said.

"There is a strong bipartisan belief in the US that India is going to be a critical partner. It has been true always whether it is George W Bush presidency or Bill Clinton's, Democrats or Republicans. I don't think that fundamental belief is not going to be altered anyway," he said.

"US does not just see India as a rising power. India is already risen, we wish India's emergence as good for the US and the world," Obama said against the backdrop of oft-repeated assertions by US officials that India is a rising power.

"Its (India) economy has risen at a breathtaking rate... we look forward to a greater role for India at the world stage," he added.