Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends a gathering of the Indo-American Community of USA (IACU) in New York City.
Credit: Reuters Photo
New York: Terming India as a "land of opportunities", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday told a mega gathering of Indian-Americans that he has set very ambitious goals for the country during his third term.
Speaking at the packed Nassau Veterans Coliseum on Long Island in New York, Modi said he is pursuing a "three-fold sense of responsibility" in this term.
"After going through this tough election process, this long election system, something unprecedented happened in India (this year). What happened… 'Abkibaar Modi Sarkaar'," Modi told thousands of Indian Americans, amid chants of 'Modi-Modi'.
"For the first time in 60 years, the people of India have given a mandate which has great significance. During my third term, I have very ambitious goals to achieve. We have to move forward with three times the strength,” he said.
"Every Indian has confidence in India and its achievements. India today is a land of opportunities. It's no longer waiting for opportunities. It is now creating opportunities,” he said, adding that in just a decade 250 million people have been lifted out of poverty.
"This was possible because we changed our old way of thinking. We changed our approach. We empowered the poor,” he told the Indian Americans. It is this new middle class, which is accelerating the development of India, he said.
Modi said he has dedicated his life to good governance and for a prosperous India. Observing that destiny brought him to politics, Modi said he had never thought of becoming a chief minister or prime minister. Over the last 10 years, people have seen this model of governance and thus have voted him to power for a third term, he added.
The Prime Minister also announced that India will open two new consulates in Boston and Los Angeles, meeting the long-pending demand of the fast-growing Indian American community in these two large American cities.
While Boston is considered as the education and pharma capital of the US, Los Angeles, home to Hollywood, is hosting the next summer Olympics and current US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti is the city’s former mayor.
He said India today has a foreign policy of maintaining equal closeness with all and not equal distance.
Referring to his remarks “This is not the time for war,” Modi told the diaspora that the severity and the seriousness of this was understood by all friends.
“Whenever in the world there is a disaster, India has come forward as a first responder,” he said, referring to the recent help provided by New Delhi to people across the world including during the COVID-19 crisis to more than 150 countries.
"The role of India would be crucial to accelerate the process of global growth, and India's role will be crucial to accelerate global peace," he said, adding that India's goal is not to increase its global influence but to play a part in its prosperity.
Whether it is promoting yoga, lifestyle or the environment, it does not aspire for only a GDP-centric but a human-centric growth for all of you, he said, adding that India "does not want to seek its global dominance”.
India, he said, is not like fire. “We are like the sun which gives brightness,” the prime minister said.
The Prime Minister said that India has no role in causing destruction to the world, in an apparent criticism of the West.
"India represents about 17 per cent of the world's population, and despite that, our contribution to emission is about only four per cent," he said, adding India today has "no role in causing destruction” to the world.
China is the world's biggest carbon emitter followed by the US, India and the EU.
Referring to the impressive digital progress made by India, Modi told Indian Americans that they might have wallets in their pockets here, but people in India have digital wallets. “No one can stop India now. India wants to have maximum mobile devices on 'Made in India' chips," he said.
"Today's India sees big dreams, chases big dreams," Modi said, adding that "India no longer follows, it forges new systems and leads from the front." The event was attended by more than 13,000 Indian-Americans. While the majority of them were from the New York and New Jersey area, Indian-Americans came in from 40 states, organisers said. Sixty charter buses were used for transportation purposes.
Applauding the role of Indian-Americans in strengthening the relationship between India and the US, he called them India’s brand ambassadors.
"For the world, AI stands for Artificial Intelligence. But I believe AI also represents the America-India spirit," Modi said.
Referring to a Sanskrit shloka that “it is those who make sacrifices reap benefits”, the prime minister said wherever the Indian diaspora lives, they contribute to the societal and national development in every field.
In his remarks, the prime minister touched upon the celebration of democracy across the world, in particular in India and the US.
"While the elections in India are over, it’s under process in the United States. The elections that were just held in India were the biggest so far in human history. When we see the scale of India’s democracy, we are even more proud,” he said.
Modi applauded the role of Indian-Americans in making the country and community proud.
"Just yesterday, President Biden took me to his home in Delaware. His affection, his warmth, it was a moment that touched my heart. This respect is for the 140 billion Indians. This respect is for you, for your achievements, for the hundreds and thousands of Indians living here,” he said.
He also referred to the recently concluded T-20 World Cup in the United States.
India is trying its best to host the 2036 Olympics, he said.
India, he said, is now aspiring to be the third-largest economy in the world from the fifth position. Today, the people of India, he said, are full of self-confidence, they have the resolve and determination to achieve their goals. The development in India has now become a people’s movement, he said.
An entertaining cultural performance was the main highlight of the event before the prime minister arrived. The Echoes of India - A Journey Through Art and Tradition, showcased 382 nationally and internationally known artists.
Prominent among them include Grammy award nominee Chandrika Tandon, STAR Voice of India winner and superstar Aishwarya Majumdar, Instagram’s Dancing Dad Ricky Pond, and singing sensation Rex DSouuza, in a seamless experience of India’s cultural diversity.
There were unique performances by 117 artists, impressing and entertaining attendees as they entered the coliseum. Organisers said more than 30 classical, folk, modern and fusion performances will pay homage to the rich and diverse cultures of India.