Obama team gave ‘positive indications’ on ties: PM

“There is no reason to have any doubts about the intentions of the Obama Administration towards us. From whatever contact we have had we have no no reasons to be apprehensive about the change of the regime in the US,” he told reporters accompanying him in his aircraft on way back from the G-20 summit he had attended in Washington.

Ahead of Singh’s US visit, Obama had telephoned the Prime Minister on Wednesday last and described the Indo-US strategic relationship as a “very important partnership.”

Singh said there was general recognition in the US about the role India can play and should play. There is considerable appreciation of the way the Indian economy was managed.

Asked about the possibility of the Obama Administration implementing the measures of the Bush regime in tackling the economic crisis, he said “the situation is serious. You can’t wait until January 20 (when Obama will take over as US President.”

“The financial crisis spilling over to real economy and for the world to say that it will do nothing, then I think, will not be a very responsible act.

“So despite all the uncertainties surrounding the change of Administration, the message … from the Washington summit is that the world leaders are greatly concerned about the situation and they are committed to funding practical and pragmatic solutions to this problem. They are confident that there is will power among the world leaders to act and act decisively,” Singh said.