All Americans celebrate Indian elections: USIBC

Washington: As the schedule for India's general elections was made public on Wednesday, a leading US trade body said all Americans celebrate the upcoming polls and hailed them as the "greatest democratic undertaking".

"As a fellow-democracy, all Americans celebrate India's upcoming national elections. When other parts of the world see democracy under threat such as in Ukraine, here we witness India standing tall, embarking on the greatest democratic undertaking in human history," US India Business Council (USIBC) president Ron Somers said.

This is worthy of all the free world's attention, said Somers, who is considered a strong proponent of the Indo-US relationship. "USIBC looks forward to watching this historic event unfold over the coming weeks and to engaging the elected leaders of the world's largest democracy as we continue to deepen the defining partnership of the 21st century," Somers said.

USIBC represents some 350 American companies that have businesses in India. "India's extraordinary commitment to democracy will be on full display as 815 million eligible voters head to the polls, nearly half of which are under 35 years of age. That's an electorate over two and a half times the entire population of the United States!" USIBC said in an email to its members sent out last night.