President Obama said Monday that the United States would support adding India as a permanent member of an expanded U.N. Security Council--a powerful endorsement of India's growing economic power and global aspirations.

India has campaigned hard for a U.N. seat, long a subtext of a warming India and U.S. relationship. Obama embraced the idea in a speech to India's parliament that emphasized Washington's efforts to deepen its economic and defense relationship with the world's biggest democracy.

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