British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has described his Indian counterpartManmohan Singh as a great leader not only of India but also of the world.

"It is a great honour for any democratic country in the world to have aleader like Dr Manmohan Singh. He is a great leader not only of India but ofthe world," Brown was quoted as saying by leading NRI Labour MP VirenderSharma.

Sharma, who was speaking at a function organised by the Indian OverseasCongress in London on Sunday night to celebrate the victory of Congress Partyin the recent general elections in India, said he had raised the issue in theHouse of Commons and was replying to the discussion in which Brown had praisedManmohan.

He said Manmohan has emerged as one of the three major leaders along with USPresident Barack Obama and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown at the recentG-20 summit in London. "As an Indian I feel proud of India," he said.

Sharma said that the Indian diaspora in the UK should send a united message toSingh that it was fully behind him so that India could become a major economicpower by 2020.

Indian Overseas Congress president Balwant Kapur said Congress President SoniaGandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and youth Congress leader Rahul Gandhiwere mainly responsible for the party's good performance in the recentelections.

Former Punjab minister Malkiat Singh and several NRI leaders also spoke at thefunction and said the mandate was in favour of stability, transparency and goodperformance.