GVL Narasimha Rao praises PM Modi for emerging as global leader

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader G.V.L Narsimha Rao on Saturday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for emerging as a global leader, and taking Indo-U.S. relations to new heights.

"Prime Minister Modi has emerged truly as a global leader today. I think U.S. President Barack Obama has made special gestures in acknowledgement of the Prime Minister's stature on the world stage. President Obama is coming to India as Chief Guest on the Republic Day function which is a first for any American President. When Prime Minister Modi visited the U.S. he actually accompanied him on a Martin Luther King Memorial visit which was totally unplanned," said Rao.

"India and U.S., their bilateral relations are reaching a very-very high level and contrast this with Indo-U.S. relations barely six months ago when the Congress was in power, they were at its lowest ebb. Prime Minister Modi deserves congratulations for becoming a global leader and putting India once again on the national stage and emerging as a top leader on the global platform," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited U.S. President Barack Obama to be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations next year.

"This Republic Day, we hope to have a friend over...invited President Obama to be the 1st US President to grace the occasion as Chief Guest," Prime Minister Modi had tweeted.

Obama had earlier this month praised Prime Minister Modi by referring to him as a 'man of action'.

Obama used the phrase during a gala dinner hosted for the leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and East Asia Summit (EAS) member countries in Nay Pyi Taw.

Obama had earlier on September 29 hosted a private dinner for Prime Minister Modi at the White House during the latter's U.S. visit.