Prime Minister Manmohan Singh wrapped up his visit to Washington on Wednesday night with an appeal to Indian Americans to return to their roots and contribute to the development of India.

Speaking to members of the Indian diaspora at a reception hosted by India's Ambassador to the U.S. Meera Shankar, Singh said: "Let me take this opportunity to extend an invitation to all Indian Americans and non-resident Indians who wish to return home to India in one capacity or another." It was his most direct appeal to date to the diaspora to return to India.

He noted India needs a better education and health care system, and modern infrastructure. "It is through the application of modern science and technology that we hope to march forward," he said. But he said that more than resources, India will require "imagination and innovation" to succeed. It is in these areas, he said, that people of Indian origin worldwide can contribute "mightily."

"In the past few years we have already experienced what has been called a 'reverse brain-drain.' I would prefer to call this 'brain gain' or, indeed, a meeting of minds," he said to applause. A recession in the U.S. coupled with booming opportunities in India has resulted in a slowdown of the flow of Indians to the U.S. and the return of many non-resident Indians to their homeland.

Wooing the diaspora, Singh said India has tried to encourage this flow by making it easier for Indian and American scholars, scientists, business leaders and other professionals to work together. Extending an invitation to Indian Americans to return to India, Singh said: "You no longer have to make a choice between here and there. Modern technology and our flexible policies have opened possibilities of working in both places."

Singh said he wanted to see a "true intellectual and business partnership" between Indians and Americans . "We are similar in so many ways. We are both free and open societies. We are both plural, multi-ethnic, multi-racial and multi-religious societies. Metaphors like salad bowl, melting pot and the rainbow have been used to describe both our societies," he said, adding, "This is what makes it easy for Indians to adapt themselves to the U.S. and, dare I say, for Americans to adapt themselves to India. I hope you will be the bridge that will continue to connect our two nations and societies."

The Prime Minister acknowledged the contribution of Indian Americans in bringing the U.S. and India together, and its contribution to India’s progress and modernisation.

Noting that the global downturn had not spared India, Singh said "we have been able to catch our breath and move forward."

Singh assured his audience relations with the U.S. would remain one of the important pillars of India's foreign policy. "Our relationship is not born out of a crisis or any one concern; nor does it exist in the context of any other relationship. It is nurtured by our shared values; and the bonds and mutual respect that exist between the people of our two democratic and pluralistic societies. It derives its vitality from recognition of the enormous potential for mutually beneficial cooperation and a sense of shared responsibility to work towards addressing global challenges," he said.

Singh, who met President Barack Obama at the White House on Tuesday, said he found the U.S. leader respectful of India and its values, and committed to the U.S.-India relationship. "We have... laid the foundation for consolidating the gains in our relationship," he said, adding the relationship would see a new emphasis on five Es - economy, energy, environment, education and empowerment - even as the U.S. and India strengthen ties in defence, security and counter-terrorism.

Washington, November 26
Indian Consul General in Chicago Ashok Atri, embroiled in a controversy over visa issued to LeT operative Tahawwur Hussain Rana, has met External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and said that no rules had been violated in giving him the travel document as he had submitted all proper papers for the same.

Atri, who also met National Security Adviser M K Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, explained that no wrong-doing had occurred on part of the Consulate as Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, appeared to be a bona fide normal traveller to India for business.

Rana was arrested along with Pakistani origin US national David C. Headley by the FBI for planning major terror attacks in India at the behest of Lashkar-e-Toiba. As part of the plan, Rana had visited India several times on the visa issued by the Indian Consulate in Chicago.

The Consul General told Krishna and others that no exception had been made to give visa to Rana and that his office had routinely put the "discretionary" stamp on it.

Atri, the 1975-batch IFS officer, said as per an August 2005 circular of the Home Ministry, the Chicago Consulate was not required to send the visa applications of Pakistan-origin people to New Delhi and could process these in Chicago itself, the sources told PTI.

The circular said that except 43 countries, which did not include the US and Canada, there was no need for prior approval of the Home Ministry for issuing visas to Pakistani origin citizens, the Consul General told the minister and the top officials, showing the documents in this regard.

The same circular was repeated in May 2007, they said.

Atri also clarified that Rana had submitted proper documents as proof of his 6018 North Campbell Avenue, Chicago, residence which included original notice of property tax by the Treasury Department. The clarification came in the wake of reports that Rana had submitted fake residential proof to get visa.

Rana had also submitted two letters by an American citizen Raymond J Sanders, said to be his business partner, recommending visa for Rana, the IFS officer is said to have told Krishna.

Sanders is owner of Mumbai Immigration Law Centre located at Dewan Avenue in Chicago, Atri told the government with documents. He said this in the wake of reports that letters of a non-existent company had been furnished to secure the visa and the consulate did not check up. — PTI