"Incredibly Popular": US Congressman Says PM Modi Will Be Re-Elected

Describing Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a popular leader, a US congressman has exuded confidence that he would be re-elected in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

"Prime Minister Modi is incredibly popular. I was just over there. I actually had lunch with Prime Minister Modi and several other congressmen, and to see his popularity across party lines really. Somebody who I think is around 70 per cent popular. He is going to be prime minister again," Congressman Rich McCormick, a Republican from Georgia, told PTI in an interview.

"To see his progressive outlook on economy, on development, on goodwill towards all people, to see his application and positivity to the Indian people in the diaspora worldwide is going to affect the global economy, their strategic relationships. I look forward to his influence in a very positive way," he said in response to a question.

India's economy, under PM Modi's leadership, he said, is expanding anywhere from four to eight per cent per year. "If you look at their willingness to work with other nations now, I would say, I'll put a caveat in there, sometimes there's a bit of protectionism, which a lot of characters do. They've kind of copied some things that China have done. They'll have incredible leverage going forward as businesses want to get into India in an expanding market," Mr McCormick said.

"We just have to be sure that we do it in a way that makes sense to both nations when we share technologies that there's trust in. The good news is we don't see the aggressive posturing like we see in China. As a matter of fact, we see a very incredibly important strategic and tactical ally with India to resist countries like China who are autocracies, who believe in a Marxist theology," he said.

"We need to make sure that we develop that relationship where there's true trust, that we continue to realise that India is honest. They're not trying to steal our technologies; they're trying to share them. It's okay to use your economic leverage to do that, and as long as we're having an honest conversation, we can have a great conversation in the future," McCormick said.

McCormick, a decorated veteran and emergency room physician, represents Georgia's 6th Congressional district that has a sizeable Indian American population. He serves on the House Committee on Armed Services and House Foreign Affairs Committee.

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