Washington (PTI): "The people of India deeply love you."

This was how Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke of President George W Bush while praising him effusively after their 40-minute meeting at the Oval office in White House flagging his "important" and "historic" role in forging several bilateral initiatives including the civil nuclear deal.

While the weather was cloudy and rainy in Washington yesterday, it was all warmth inside the White House during the eight-minute press interaction by the two leaders who had a word of praise for each other on a few occasions showing a spirit of bonhomie.

Bush told the prime minister how he appreciated his friendship and his leadership.

"I appreciate your friendship and I appreciate your leadership," Bush said.

Bush went on to say "you and I have worked hard to change the relationship between our countries. India is a great country with an incredibly bright future, and it's in the US interest to have a good, strong strategic relationship with India. And we've worked hard to achieve that."

Touching upon the civil nuclear deal initiated in July 2005, Bush told Singh "it has taken a lot of work on both our parts, a lot of courage on your part..."

The prime minister said that "when the history is written, I think it will be recorded that President George W Bush played a historic role in bringing our two democracy closer to each other."

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