The US on Tuesday said there is no change in its policy of denying visa to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. "No, there are no new developments on that," Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake told reporters here when asked if there is any review of denial of visa to Modi.
The US had denied visa to Modi in March 2005 for his alleged complicity in the in the communal riots in Gujarat in 2002. Modi had applied for a visa to go to the US for participating in the annual convention Asian American Hotel Owners. Blake, however, said Gujarat itself remains a very important place for American investment.
"I think it has shown itself to be a very welcoming environment for American business to flourish. We will continue to promote investment, encourage investment into that State. We recently have begun an effort to try to enhance state-to-state ties between our two countries and Special Representative Rita Jo Lewis recently made a trip to India with that in mind–-because we believe there are quite significant opportunities for individual American states to do more with their Indian counterparts," Blake added.