Modi establishes personal rapport at Capitol

“With your sense of humour and the way you delivered that speech, I think really identifies why we have such close ties,” Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations committee, said as he welcomed Modi during a congressional reception hosted in his honour.

“The fact is that our political, strategic and economic ties is better than they have ever been. We know that these are going to be even greater. While our ties are with the people of India, we know that with you as their leader the possibilities are an all-time high,” Corker said.

Less than a month ago, Corker during a Congressional hearing, was highly critical over the pace of economic reforms, human rights situation and religious freedom, and slamming Barack Obama administration of not being “brutally honest” in its conversation with his government.

Senator Ben Cardin, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who for the past two weeks has been raising the issue of human rights and slavery in India, said Modi “gained a lot of friends” in the Congress. Referring to Modi’s call for India and the US working together for the benefit of the world, Cardin said this was a very powerful message.

“His presence, the amount of time he spent and his own personality is very helpful in getting friends here in America,” he said.The Speaker of the US House of Representative Paul Ryan and several top Congressional leaders received him.