Washington:"The people of India deeply love you," a somewhat emotional Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told US President George W. Bush as he wrapped up a day's visit to the White House even as the two countries tied up the loose ends of their historic nuclear agreement.

"This may be my last visit to you during your presidency. The people of India deeply love you. And all that you have done to bring our two countries closer to each other is something history will remember," Manmohan Singh told Bush at the Oval Office after their talks.

He praised Bush for his "historic role" in the "massive transformation" of India-US relations and for bringing the two democracies closer.

Bush, on his part, fondly recalled his visit to India in March 2006. "I will never forget my visit to your country, Mr Prime Minister. I remember telling my friends when I got back what an exciting place India is," Bush said.

Many in the US have dubbed this as Bush's "Nixon moment" as the breakthrough in ties with India could be compared to what former president Richard Nixon did to open up ties with China in the seventies.

 

Source : IANS