U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday to address a joint meeting of Congress when he visits Washington in June. This is considered an unusual show of warmth for a foreign leader from Washington's standard. "This address presents a special opportunity to hear from the elected leader of the world's most populous democracy on how our two nations can work together to promote our shared values and to increase prosperity," the Republican leader of the House of Representatives said in a statement. The invitation is a sharp turnaround for Modi, who was once barred from visiting the United States. Opportunities to address the House and Senate are considered a great honor. There have only been two in the past year: Pope Francis, on Sept. 24, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, on April 29, 2015.