Obama backs Modi, says he is an honest politician with a clear vision for India

Washington: US President Barack Obama, who has held several meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, found him to be an "honest and direct" politician having a clear vision for India, according to the White House.

"President Obama has found Prime Minister Modi to be somebody who is honest and direct, somebody who has good command of the facts, somebody who has a clear understanding of the issues that confront his country and our relationship," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at his daily news conference yesterday.

On Monday Obama met Modi in Paris on the sidelines of the United Nation's Climate Change Summit. This was the sixth meeting between the two leaders since they met first at the White House last September. "He (Modi) also is somebody that has a clear vision for where he wants to take his country, and it makes him not just an effective politician, but an effective Prime Minister," Earnest said. "Obama certainly does respect Prime Minister Modi and has appreciation for his skills and abilities as a politician. He also is somebody who is given a very difficult challenge of sitting atop the world's largest democracy," he said.

"That's not easy to work and it's not easy work and the president of the US has special insight into how difficult it is," he added. Referring to the frequent meetings between the two leaders, Earnest said Obama had the opportunity to consult with Modi on a number of occasions.

"I think that isn't just a testament to their good working relationship, it actually is a testament to the important issues that are at stake between our two countries and the ability of the leaders of our two countries to work through those issues and to advance our shared interests is a good thing," Earnest said. "It's a good thing for the world, it's also a good thing for the citizens of our two countries," he said.