India and the US Heading Towards a Better Future Together: PM Modi

Addressing the Indian diaspora in Washington DC, PM Modi said that the biggest driving force of India’s growth story is the aspiration of the Indian people, which is similar to the American dream.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had fascinated thousands of Indian-Americans in New York City in 2014, repeated the feat in Washington DC when he addressed the Indian diaspora at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Centre. The diaspora event was hosted by the United States Indian Community on the last day of PM Modi’s visit to the US. The event began with international singer Mary Millben performing India’s National Anthem, followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s much-awaited address to the Indian diaspora. His address concentrated on their contribution to the ‘India growth story’.

As he addressed the select crowd, loud chants of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Vande Mataram” reverberated across the auditorium. This was the final rendezvous of Modi’s state visit to the United States before he flew to Egypt. US Congressman Shri Thanedar, who ushered Modi to the dias for his address, said, “I have never seen this kind of enthusiasm for any visiting prime minister. I am very proud of PM Modi. He is enormously popular. I am looking forward to working with him to broaden and deepen our relationship.”

In his address, Modi spoke about the strong ties between India and the United States and the opportunities for cooperation between the two countries. He also stressed the importance of the Indian diaspora in the United States. The event was a huge success, and it showed the deep love and affection that Indian Americans have for their country and its leader. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised US President Joe Biden for his efforts to strengthen ties between India and the United States. He called Biden a “seasoned and experienced leader” who has “personally put in a lot of effort to take India-US ties to new heights.”

Modi said that the two countries are “heading towards a better future together” in areas such as defence, industry, manufacturing, and the industrial supply chain. He pointed to the decision of General Electric Company to manufacture fighter plane engines in India as a milestone for India’s defence sector. He also said that other companies, such as Google, Micron, and Applied Materials, have announced plans to invest in India during his visit. 

Further, the Prime Minister said that the India-US partnership would extend into space after India signed the Artemis Accords. He said that this would provide several opportunities for space research and that India would send astronauts to space with NASA. Besides, Modi also holds a belief that the full potential of the partnership between the two countries has not yet been realized and that their ties are all about making the world a better place in the 21st century.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned that colossal infrastructure projects in India to accelerate the country’s new growth story are being written in many tier-2 and tier-3 cities. He also said that India is the mother of democracy and the United States is the champion of modern democracy. He praised President Joe Biden as a seasoned and experienced leader and thanked him for his efforts in taking the India-US ties to a new high.

In the beginning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed business leaders and philanthropists from India and the United States at the Kennedy Centre. He said that the biggest driving force of India’s growth story is the aspiration of the Indian people, which is similar to the American dream. He added that extreme poverty is fast diminishing in India, while the middle class and neo-middle class are rapidly expanding. Subsequently, he said that whatever India does to fulfil the aspirations of its people opens up immense possibilities for America as well. He mentioned the increasing demand in India for aviation and said that Indian airlines are ordering hundreds of aircraft from American companies. This is creating jobs in the United States. 

 “A strong India is good for the world.” He cited the pandemic as an example, saying that India increased its production of medicines and sent medical supplies to more than 150 countries. He also said that India sent vaccines to more than 100 countries.

At a diaspora event later, Modi said that “India is witnessing an unprecedented digital revolution.” He said that the changing face of India would surprise people. He added that the most significant driver for India’s progress today is its people’s self-confidence. He said that hundreds of years of slavery had taken away this self-confidence from Indians but that it is now returning.

The Prime Minister announced that a pilot project would be launched soon to allow H1B visa holders to renew their visas without having to leave the United States. This will benefit thousands of IT sector employees in the United States and may also be extended to L-category visas in the future. India will also open new consulates in Seattle and two other cities, while the United States will open consulates in Ahmedabad and Bengaluru.

Prime Minister Modi announced that the Indian government would be partnering with the University of Houston to establish a Tamil studies chair. He also encouraged the audience to be proud of the fact that Tamil is the world’s oldest language.

In conclusion, Modi’s visit to the United States was a success, and he is confident that the two countries will continue to work together to build a better future. 

_{(Harshita is pursuing a post-graduation in International Relations. She has an undergraduate degree in Global Affairs with a specialization in social sciences and humanities. She is a certified French speaker. Opinions expressed are the author’s own.)}

References: 

Harshita Sabharwal