<P> Exploring opportunities on how to move the relationship out of a state of morose, Lisa Curtis, senior research fellow for South Asia in the Asian Studies Center of the Heritage Foundation, says that "the U.S. must first signal its willingness and commitment to collaborating with the new government--and that it will not dwell on the controversy of the 2002 Gujarat riots, which led the U.S. to revoke Modi's visa in 2005 ." </P> <P> On 11 June 2014, Robert Blackwill, the former Coordinator for Strategic Planning and Deputy US National Security Advisor during the presidency of George W. Bush, spoke at length about India--U.S. relations and said: "Mr Modi is a determined leader . He is candid and frank . I also worked with him during the Gujarat earthquake when I was posted as (the US) ambassador to India . (...) It was mistake by the current Obama administration to delay engagement with Mr Modi . I do not know why they did so but definitely, this did not help in building relationship . (...) The old formula and stereotypes will not work if the US administration wants to engage with Mr Modi . The Indian prime minister is candid, direct and smart . He speaks his mind . The US administration also has to engage in candid conversation when Mr Modi meets President Obama later this year . They have to do something innovative to engage with him ." </P> <P> In 2005, the US Department of State used a 1998 International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) provision to revoke Modi's tourist / business visa citing section 212 (a) (2) (g) of the US Immigration and Nationality Act . The IRFA provision "makes any foreign government official who' was responsible for or directly carried out, at any time, particularly severe violations of religious freedom' ineligible for a visa to the United States ." </P> <P> David C. Mulford, the US Ambassador to India from 2003 to 2009, justified the rejection of a diplomatic visa to Modi in a statement released on 21 March 2005 stating that the US State Department re-affirmed the original decision to revoke Modi's tourist / business visa to which India's highest judiciary abstained all the charges from Modi later on the particular issue: </P>

Trade relations of india with america and factors influencing them