Washington: A top United States official on Thursday described Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as “a man of uncommon decency and grace” who led the way in building Indo-U.S. partnership, as he presented the leader the 2010 World Statesman Award.
“History will also mark with special significance Prime Minister Singh's personal contributions to the emerging partnership between the world's oldest and largest democracies, America and India,” Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Bill Burns said at an awards dinner in New York, where Dr. Singh was honoured in absentia by the Appeals of Conscience Foundation.
Mr. Burns said India's rise might be as consequential for international order and the future of the global economy as any other development in the new century, and would be in the interests of the U.S.
“As President Obama prepares for a historic state visit to India later this autumn, the promise of our partnership, built on strong bipartisan foundations in both our countries, looms bright and unmistakable.
“More than anyone else, it is Prime Minister Singh who has led the way in building the U.S.-India partnership,” Mr. Burns said, citing his strong support for the New Delhi-Washington civil nuclear deal.
Dr. Singh's economic policies helped India's rise within the new G-20 world, and to produce a doubling of U.S.-India bilateral trade in just a few years.
“And Prime Minister Singh's advocacy of cooperation in high technology and science led to the recent launch of India's first unmanned lunar probe, which carried a NASA payload and discovered the presence of water molecules on the moon.”
Mr. Burns said: “There could truly be no better choice, and no better model of what integrity and statesmanship are all about on the world stage... A man of uncommon decency and grace, Prime Minister Singh has never lost sight of his responsibility to lead every Indian.”
Mr. Burns said Dr. Singh was a man of even temperament, and remarkable modesty and humility, and he demonstrated his clear vision and steely determination as a leader, bringing great benefit to India and to the rest of the world. Dr. Singh is not attending the United Nations General Assembly session this year. — PTI
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