US President-elect Barack Obama has described the India-US strategic relationship as a “very important partnership”, and said his administration would like to work with New Delhi on all important global issues.

Obama called Prime Minister Manmohan Singh this morning, the PMO said. The PM had earlier clarified that Obama and he had been unable to talk because of scheduling constraints.

The PM congratulated Obama warmly and said that his “historic victory was a source of inspiration for oppressed people all over the world”, a PMO statement said. Obama “praised the Prime Minister’s contribution to the progress of India both as Minister of Finance earlier and now as Prime Minister”. Singh told Obama that “relations between India and the United States were very good, but we cannot be satisfied with the status quo”.

The PM has invited Obama and his wife to visit India. “He said that a warm welcome awaited them. The President-elect said that he wished to make an early visit to India,” the statement said.