The United States has congratulated the government of India and the people of India for successfully completing and participating in the Lok Sabha elections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to take up the reins of administration for a third consecutive term after the BJP-led NDA emerged with a majority in these elections, though the ruling BJP suffered severe losses in three critical Hindi-speaking states.
The election, widely covered as an indicator of the popularity of Modi, was hotly contested.
Results for 542 out of 543 Lok Sabha constituencies have been declared by the Election Commission of India, in which the BJP has won 240 seats and the Congress party 99 seats.
State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller, during his routine press briefing, praised the Indian government and its voters on the successful completion of such a massive electoral exercise.
"On behalf of the United States, we want to commend the government of India and voters there for successfully completing and participating in such a massive electoral undertaking, and we look forward to seeing the final results," he said.
Responding to a query regarding the Indian elections in which the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has crossed the halfway mark of 272 seats, potentially paving the way for the third term of Modi, Miller insisted that they were waiting for the finalization of election results to make any such statement.
"First of all, our understanding is that the election results have not been finalised. So we will wait for the finalisation of those election results before we offer any definitive comment," Miller stated, declining to comment on winners and losers, as is customary for the US government globally.
He rejected suggestions that the US was interfering in Indian elections on behalf of the West, underlining the commitment of the US to clearly and transparently stating concerns with foreign governments, and doing so in a way which is consistent with democratic norms around the world, and not with the intention of bringing about election results.
"I'm also not going to comment on winners and losers in an election, as is our case around the world. What is important for us and what we have seen over the past six weeks is the largest exercise of democracy in history as the Indian people came to the polls," he concluded.
Miller reflected on a very optimistic future in the partnership between the US and India, considering the solid relationship between the two governments and peoples.
"There is a great partnership, both at the government level and at the people-to-people level, and I fully expect that to continue," he added.
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