Obama congratulates India on Republic Day

Washington, Jan 27: Congratulating India on celebrating its Diamond Jubilee as a republic nation, US president Barack Obama hailed the growing relationship between the world's two largest democracies.

"As the world's largest democracies, US and India have a strong shared belief in the values of liberty, pluralism, and religious tolerance," Mr Obama said while greeting the people of India on the occasion of the country's Republic Day.

He also took the opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate the Indian-Americans who 'enriched every corner' of US.

"More than two million Indian-Americans in the US enrich every corner of our great nation leading in science, government, industry and the arts," the president added.

"I was pleased that Prime Minister Singh was the honoured guest for the first state dinner of my Presidency. It was a chance to celebrate the great and growing partnership between our two Nations, and the friendship between our peoples," Mr Obama added.

India on Tuesday, Jan 26 celebrated a peaceful Republic Day despite heightened terror threat, bad weather conditions in the national capital, and Maoist and separatist protests.

OneIndia News