NEW YORK: President George W. Bush generously praised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as a “well known economist” and invited him to visit the Oval Office next year, if he returned to power.

At the start of their breakfast meeting on Sept. 21 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Bush greeted Singh warmly as he walked into the presidential suite and said he had heard a lot about his reputation as an economist from his aides, especially his taking India down the road of a free-market economy when he became finance minister in 1991.

It was during Singh’s tenure as finance minister from 1991 to 19996 that India began its economic liberalization program.

Bush also asked Singh if he had ever visited the Oval Office and invited him to the White House if he returned to power after the Nov. 7 general election.

Bush said he planned to visit India next year, if re-elected.

The two leaders covered a lot of ground in their talks, officials said, ranging from the rapid evolution of bilateral ties that have taken on the dimension of a strategic relationship, to Afghanistan, Iraq, South Asia, China and other major areas of global concern.

Officials said Bush was apparently keen to know the Indian leader’s mind on many issues and left the meeting impressed with Singh’s deep knowledge and grasp of subjects as well his ability to put forward India’s viewpoint strongly on them.