“I like Modi… but I was also great friends with Dr Manmohan Singh,” former US president Obama on his opinion on PM Modi

Seven years ago, former US President Barack Obama was asked about his opinion on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Obama had then said, "I like him". He went on say, "I think that he has a vision for the country, he is implementing and in many ways mordernising certain elements of the bureaucracy that I think are very important."

"But I really also was great friends with Dr [Manmohan] Singh" — Obama then started speaking about his relations with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Obama was speaking at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit that was held in 2017.

He praised Manmohan Singh, saying, "When you look at the work and steps that Dr. Singh took to open up and modernize the economy, and launched, what I think was really the foundation for the modern Indian economy, that's also important."

He, however, added that the US President's job was to work with whichever party was in power. He told the interviewer, “...so to avoid you getting me in trouble again...I wanna be very clear about this.”

'Unifying' theme between Narendra Modi and Manmohan Singh

Both Narendra Modi and Manmohan Singh were prime ministers in India when Obama was in power in the US.

Obama said the unifying theme between the "two leaders who were the Prime Minister during my time," was that "strong US-India relations were important; that India's movement towards a more modern economy that would give opportunity and lifts hundreds of millions of people out of poverty was important."

"That electrifying the countryside was important, that rebuilding infrastructure was important and each leader had certain view of how that was going to be accomplished," Obama said.

He said his job was not to evaluate the details but to see whether their general focus and trajectory were consistent with what "I thought was sound governance.

"I found both of them to be engaged, honest, direct with me and both of them took tough decisions in order to help underwrite the international system, keeping in mind Singh was the primary interlocutor with me when we were saving the country from a global financial meltdown," Obama added.

The former US Prime Minister said Prime Minister Modi was the primary partner in unlocking the Paris accords. "Neither of those things was easy and both required some political courage back here in India so you will not get me to play those games," he added.

Manmohan Singh dies

Manmohan Singh passed away at AIIMS, Delhi, on Thursday at the age of 92 due to age-related medical conditions. He had a sudden loss of consciousness at home after which he was rushed to the hospital.

Manmohan Singh's mortal remains were consigned to flames at the Nigambodh Ghat here on Saturday amid the chanting of religious hymns. The funeral pyre was lit by his eldest daughter Upinder Singh.

The Union Home Ministry has announced a seven-day national mourning, during which the national flag will be flown at half-mast throughout the country as a mark of respect to the former prime minister.