WASHINGTON: The result of the Indian election has been hailed as a triumph of democracy with some experts describing it as a "major miracle" that has lessons for the rest of the world. 

Experts have mentioned how particularly impressed they were with the show of India's democratic strength in a region beset with perennial problems of terrorism and insurgency. 

Lawmaker Joe Crowley, co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans said the elections only proved that India had a vibrant and mature democracy in action. 

Crowley said: "I am pleased to see that the democratic process in India works ... The legacy of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, which founded the modern state of India that thrives today, is alive and greatly respected by the showing in this most recent election. 

"I congratulate the Congress Party for their strong showing in the election. The new government must keep the peace negotiations with Pakistan on track, to ensure that the violence and deaths of innocents completely ceases. 

"As the party that originated the first economic changes that enabled India and the Indian economy to develop to the level that it is today, I am sure that the Congress party will continue the strong economic growth that India has experienced under the leadership of the BJP. 

"In order for India to grow, more Indians' daily standard of living and income must improve, and I call upon the Congress party to make today's 400 million strong middle class into tomorrow's 800 million strong and growing middle class." 

"I look forward to working with the new government and the prime minister to advance and strengthen the ties between the US and India," said Crowley. 

Steve Cohen, a senior fellow of foreign policy studies at Brookings Institution in Washington, said the results indicated that perhaps the majority of Indians wanted a fresh set of political players.

"India has, again, produced a major miracle - one that generally goes unappreciated in the rest of the world. If only the Arab and Middle East states emulated it," Cohen said. 

Cohen was quite positive that the Congress and its allies "will probably respond with a few changes in economic policy, possibly some changes in foreign policy, but nothing radical and nothing dramatic.