In his memoir ‘A Promised Land’, former US President Barack Obama has said that modern-day India can be counted as a success story, despite bitter rivalries within political parties, various armed separatist movements and corruption.

“In many respects, modern-day India is counted as a success story, having survived repeated changeovers in government, bitter feuds within political parties, various armed separatist movements, and all manner of corruption scandals,” the 44th US president wrote.

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Obama further said that the economic liberalisation in India in the 1990s helped Indians showcase their extraordinary entrepreneurial talents, leading to soaring growth rates, a booming technology sector and a steadily expanding middle class.

In the latest book, Obama also praised India’s former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh saying that he brought higher living standards in the country and maintained a reputation for not being corrupt.

Referring to his November 2010 India visit, Obama says he and Manmohan Singh had developed a warm and productive relationship. “During my visit to the capital city of New Delhi, we reached agreements to strengthen US cooperation on counterterrorism, global health, nuclear security, and trade,” Obama wrote.

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“What I couldn’t tell was whether Singh’s rise to power represented the future of India’s democracy or merely an aberration,” he said.

The former president said that Singh was worried about India’s economy, cross border terrorism and the rise of anti-Muslim sentiments.

Talking about India’s relationship with neighbouring country Pakistan, Obama said that “expressing hostility toward Pakistan was still the quickest route to national unity”.

‘A Promised Land’ is the first of two planned volumes. The first part hit bookstores globally on Tuesday.