US Restores Ties With Narendra Modi

A decade long U.S. boycott of Indian opposition leader, Narendra Modi, over violent religious riots ended Thursday night. Nancy Powell, U.S. ambassador to India, held talks with Modi, who is tipped to be the country's next prime minister. Modi is the leader of the Hindu Nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and was shunned by the U.S. in 2002 when he was said to have turned a blind eye to riots that killed up to 2,000 people in Gujarat, majority of the victims being Muslim. The United States refused to issue a visa to Modi in 2005, stating that "domestic law bars any foreign leader seen as responsible for severe violations of religious freedom." Modi has denied the accusations and was cleared of personal blame through investigations.

The renewed relationship may have it's perk for the American government. Modi supports a pro-business government and was stated as running one efficiently. The U.S. already has a General Motors set up in Gujarat and plans to establish a Ford dealership later in the year. By smoothing relations with Modi, the deal may be more likely to go through though there is still a large amount of opposition coming from left-leaning members of Congress. Regardless, the meeting with Modi, as stated by a congressional aide, "signals willingness to issue a visa to Modi."

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/13/us-restores-ties-narendra-modi-tipped-indian-pm