New Delhi : The United States waited until the finalization of the results, while leaders of neighboring countries congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his victory for the National Democratic Alliance led by his Bharatiya Janata Party in India's parliamentary elections. Leaders from Bhutan, Mauritius, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives congratulated the prime minister after the NDA, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, secured more than enough seats for a majority in the Lok Sabha.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy was the first Western leader to offer congratulations. The United Nations Secretary-General also waited until the end of the counting. Modi also received congratulatory messages from Prime Minister Lawrence Wong of Singapore. Leaders of Jamaica, Barbados, and Myanmar also sent similar messages. Matthew Miller, the spokesperson of the US State Department in Washington DC, declined to comment on the election results until they were finalized. He responded to a query about the US stance on India's parliamentary polls.
President Joe Biden's administration in Washington DC had urged New Delhi before the polls to ensure fair legal processes, not only for imprisoned Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal but also regarding the freezing of opposition Congress' bank accounts.
The Modi Government strongly objected, summoning the Deputy Chief of Mission of the US embassy in New Delhi. The Biden Administration has expressed concerns to the Modi Government about perceived democratic backsliding in India. US reports on religious freedom have cited alleged atrocities and violence against minority communities in India. Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned rising human rights abuses in India, noting attacks on people and places of worship.
Modi's visit to Washington DC and meetings with Biden last year were over shadowed by concerns raised by American Congress members about religious intolerance, political restrictions, press freedom curbs, and human rights erosion in India. Despite hosting Modi, former President Barack Obama warned about minority rights in India.
US relations with India gained momentum with Modi's White House visit, but accusations of Indian government involvement in an assassination plot soured ties. Nonetheless, the US praised India's election conduct. Miller commended India's democratic exercise, calling it the largest in history. He lauded the Government of India and voters for successfully completing the massive electoral process.
