Narendra Modi and Rajnath Singh after the announcement
Even as the Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP nominated Gujarat Chief Minister
Narendra Modi as its Prime Ministerial candidate, the US has said that there is no change in its visa policy with regard to the BJP leader and that he was welcome to apply for the same. (Read:
Chosen. Narendra Modi is BJP's candidate for PM)
"There is no change in our longstanding visa policy. With regard to the (Gujarat) Chief Minister, that he is welcome to apply for a visa and await a review like any other applicant.
"That review will be, of course, grounded in US law," State Department spokesperson Marie Harf, told reporters.
"And I just am not going to speculate about what the outcome of that review might be," she said.
Ms Harf said the US does not want to involve itself in the domestic Indian politics or for that of any other country.
"We're not involved in domestic Indian politics. If Mr Modi would like to apply for a visa and await a review like any other applicant, he's certainly free to do so," she said.
"I just don't have anything more for you on this. I'm not going to comment on domestic Indian politics," she said.