‘US-India ties would not have been possible without...’: President Joe Biden pays tribute to Manmohan Singh

Joe Biden, President of the United States of America, paid heartfelt tributes to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, describing him as a “true statesman,” “kind and humble person,” and “dedicated public servant.” 

Singh, who held office from 2004 to 2014 and is widely considered as one of the architects of 1991 economic reforms that pulled India from the brink of bankruptcy, died on December 26 at the age of 92.  

In his statement, Biden said the unprecedented level of cooperation between the United States and India today would not have been possible without the Prime Minister’s strategic vision and political courage.  

From forging the US-India Civil Nuclear Agreement to helping launch the first Quad between Indo-Pacific partners, he charted pathbreaking progress that will continue to strengthen our nations — and the world — for generations to come, President Biden said.  

“He was a true statesman. A dedicated public servant. And above all, he was a kind and humble person,” read a statement issued by the White House.  

President Biden also recalled his meeting with PM Singh as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 2008 and as Vice President during his Official State Visit to the United States in 2009.  

Biden also mentioned that PM Manmohan Singh also graciously hosted him in New Delhi in 2013. “As we discussed then, the US-India relationship is among the most consequential in the world. And together, as partners and friends, our nations can unlock a future of dignity and unlimited potential for all of our people,” he added.  

President Biden concluded by saying that during this difficult time, we recommit to this vision to which Prime Minister Singh dedicated his life. “Jill (US First Lady) and I send our deepest condolences to former First Lady Gursharan Kaur, their three children, and all the people of India,” he wrote. 

Acknowledged as the ‘Architect of India’s economic reforms,’ Singh led the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government as Prime Minister for two consecutive terms from 2004 to 2014, leaving a lasting legacy on India’s economic and diplomatic landscape. 

The Union government has declared a seven-day period of national mourning, until January 1, during which the National Flag will be flown at half-mast across the country and at all Indian missions abroad.