Montana Governor Greg Gianforte praised the Indian community’s role in his state.Top political leaders from across the US Pacific Northwest extended greetings to India on its 80th Independence Day, with governors, US lawmakers and local authorities joining celebrations organised by the consulate general of India in Seattle.Governors Greg Gianforte of Montana, Mike Dunleavy of Alaska, Larry Rhoden of South Dakota and the Governor of Washington sent congratulatory messages ahead of the August 15 flag-hoisting ceremony. US senator Maria Cantwell and members of the house of representatives, including Adam Smith, Kim Schrier, Suzan DelBene, Dusty Johnson, Marilyn Strickland and Michael Baumgartner, also shared messages celebrating India and the Indian-American community.Washington and Nebraska have issued official proclamations declaring August 15, 2026, as “India Day” across their jurisdictions. Mayors of Seattle, Bellevue, Kent and SeaTac, along with the King County Council, have also issued proclamations recognising the contributions of Indian Americans to the region’s cultural, economic and civic life.Gianforte said the Indian and Indian-American community had enriched Montana’s “cultural, educational, and economic life”, while Dunleavy said their contributions to Alaska’s economy, education, healthcare, businesses and communities had made the state “a stronger place”.From the US Senate, Cantwell said, “The achievements of India and the Indian people continue to inspire communities around the world,” while Smith described India-US ties as “incredibly important right now”, citing cooperation between the two countries on building a more peaceful, prosperous and stable world.Schrier highlighted the Indian-American community’s role in Washington’s “educational, cultural, economic life”, while DelBene said the India-US partnership remained strong, particularly in the Pacific Northwest.From South Dakota, Johnson praised the contributions of more than five million Indian Americans in the US and described the bilateral relationship as a source of strength for both countries. Baumgartner, recalling his first visit to India last year, said global peace and stability depended in part on strong relations between India and the US."I want to congratulate Prime Minister Modi on becoming the longest continuously serving Prime Minister in India's history. That is a big accomplishment. And then number three, I want to celebrate and acknowledge the 80th birthday of India, the world's largest democracy. Our world is stronger because India is a stable, forward-looking, growing, and increasingly prosperous country', the US congressman stated.The Consulate has also released a special rendition of “Vande Mataram”, performed by Grammy Award-winning violinist Ganesh Rajagopalan with students from the Swara Yoga Ensemble.Seattle had also marked India’s Independence Day last year by illuminating the Space Needle with the Indian Tricolour.