By Simran Sodhi
New Delhi, September 23. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in the United States on a three-day visit, from September 21-23 had a busy schedule on the second day of his visit. The PM addressed members of the Indian diaspora in New York and later he met some of the worlds top CEOs and also had a number of important bilateral meetings with world leader.
Diaspora Outreach
PM Modi has had a diaspora connect with every country he visits and the US was no exception. The Indian diaspora has also responded very enthusiastically to the PM’s addresses and the connect between PM Modi and people of Indian origin living in foreign lands has been a significant part of the PM’s foreign policy outreach.
While addressing the Indian diaspora at the Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, New York on September 22, PM Modi said that India’s ‘Namaste’ has now become multinational, and has turned from ‘local to global’ (Ab apna Namaste bhi multinational ho gya hai, local se global ho gya).
Addressing the gathering, PM Modi said, “You all have come here from faraway places; some of you are old faces, while some are new ones, and I am thankful for the love I am receiving here. This reminds me of those days when I was not even a politician and I came here to visit this place. Your love is my good fortune.”
He highlighted the contributions of the diaspora and said, “For me, you all have been strong brand ambassadors of India. This is why I call you ‘Rashtradoot’ (ambassadors of the nation). You have connected India with America and America with India. Your skill, talent, and commitment are unmatched.”
PM Modi emphasised the unique connection between India and the diaspora, stating, “No sea has that much depth that it can distance you from India. What Ma Bharati has taught us, we can never forget. Wherever we go, we accept all as family. To understand diversity, to live diversity, is in our veins.”
Speaking about India’s unity in diversity, the PM said, “We belong to a country where there are dozens of languages and dialects, all faiths and religions of the world, and yet we are moving forward united.”
The PM also spoke about his recent meeting with US President Joe Biden. The PM said, “Yesterday, President Biden took me to his home in Delaware. His affection was a heart-touching moment for me. That honour is of 140 crore Indians, this honour is yours, and of lakhs of Indians living here. I am grateful to President Biden and you all.”
He also talked about the upcoming elections in both India and the US, noting, “This year of 2024 is important for the entire world. On one side there is conflict and struggle between some countries, on the other side, democracy is being celebrated in many countries. India and America are together in this festival of democracy.”
The Prime Minister praised the Indian diaspora’s contributions to various fields in the US, from doctors to scientists, and even linked the term “AI” to the “America-India spirit”, calling it the new “AI” power of the world.
“Wherever we (people of India) live, we contribute there a lot. In the US, you (the Indian diaspora) are contributing as doctors, scientists and other professionals. Recently, the T20I World Cup was also held here (in New York) and the US team played exceptionally, and the entire world saw the contribution of Indians here. For the world, AI stands for Artificial Intelligence. But I believe AI also represents the America-India spirit. This is the new ‘AI’ power of the world….I salute the Indian diaspora here,” he remarked.
The PM also reflected on India’s scale of democracy, stating, “The elections that were just held in India were the biggest elections in human history. We had almost double the number of voters than the total population of America.”
During his address, the PM introduced the concept of ‘Pushp’, the Prime Minister described it as an acronym for “P for Progressive Bharat, U for Unstoppable Bharat, S for Spiritual Bharat, H for Humanity First, and P for Prosperous India”. He emphasised that these five petals represent a vision for a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India).
PM Modi further stated, “I am the first such Prime Minister of India who was born after Independence. Crores of Indians dedicated their lives to the Independence movement. We couldn’t die for India, but we can live for the country.”
Speaking about India’s environmental commitments, PM Modi said, “When compared to the entire world, our carbon emission is negligible. We chose the path for the green transition. It is our tradition of love for nature that guided us, and we are focusing on solar and wind energy. India is the first G20 country to achieve its Paris climate goals. We want to make every house in India a solar-powered household.”
The PM highlighted India’s tech revolution and said, “Today, India’s 5G market is bigger than America. It has happened within two years. Now, India is working on made-in-India 6G.” He added, “That day is not far when you will see the made-in-India chip in America. This small chip will take India’s flight of Viksit Bharat to a newer height.”
In his remarks, PM Modi also pointed to the Indian tradition of sharing knowledge and resources, stating, “For India, power and potency means – knowledge is for sharing, wealth is for caring, power is for protecting.”
In another important announcement, PM Modi announced a plan to set up new consulates in Boston and Los Angeles. “Last year, I declared that our govt would open a new consulate in Seattle, it has been started now. We have also sought suggestions for two new consulates. I am happy to tell you that after your suggestion, India has decided to open two new consulates in Boston and Los Angeles,” he said.
Addressing the Indian diaspora, PM Modi asserted that India is a strong voice for the Global South and a first responder in global crises. He said, “We are emerging as one of the leading voices of the Global South. At the initiation of India, the African Union was made a permanent member of the G20. Recently, when I said that ‘this is not the era of war, everyone understood its seriousness. Wherever in the world there is a crisis, India emerges as the first responder.”
The “Modi and US” event featured cultural performances, with artists showcasing traditional Indian music and dance. Performers were seen preparing for days in advance to present ‘Yakshagana’, a traditional folk dance from Karnataka and Kerala, and ‘Parai’, a musical instrument from Tamil Nadu. Members of the Mallakhamb Federation US also performed acrobatic displays as part of the celebration.
The PM’s address “Modi and US” program saw a participation of 15,000 members of the Indian diaspora who had come from 42 different states in the US to welcome the Prime Minister.
Earlier in a post on X, PM Modi shared pictures of his meeting with members of the Indian diaspora and wrote, “After programmes in Delaware, landed in New York. Eager to be among the diaspora at the community programme in the city and to take part in other programmes.”
Roundtable with CEOs
The PM held a roundtable meeting with technology industry leaders, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai, where the former encouraged them to take advantage of India’s growth story for collaboration and innovation.
The roundtable meeting saw discussions on cutting-edge areas of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and quantum computing; biotechnology and life sciences; computing, IT and communication; and semiconductor technologies, according to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi wrote: “Had a fruitful roundtable with tech CEOs in New York, discussing aspects relating to technology, innovation and more. Also highlighted the strides made by India in this field. I am glad to see immense optimism towards India.”
Thanking the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), School of Engineering and its Dean for bringing the tech-leaders together, PM Modi highlighted that technology collaboration and efforts such as the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies [ICET] lie at the core of the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, the MEA release stated.
According to the release, he also dwelt on India’s BIO E3 policy to develop India into a biotech powerhouse. On Artificial Intelligence (AI), Modi noted that India’s policy is to promote AI for All, underpinned by its ethical and responsible use.
The CEOs, as per the statement, expressed their strong interest in investing and collaborating with India, emphasising that “investing in startups would be a synergistic opportunity to innovate and develop newer technologies in India.”
Some of the worlds’s top CEOs attended the meeting which points to how the global markets look at India as a major investment destination. CEOs from Accenture (Julie Sweet), Adobe (Shantanu Narayen), Google, HP Inc. (Enrique Lores), AMD (Lisa Su), Biogen Inc. (Chris Viehbacher), Bristol Myers Squibb (Chris Boerner), Eli Lilly and Company (David A. Ricks), IBM (Arvind Krishna), LAM Research (Tim Archer), Moderna (Noubar Afeyan), Verizon (Hans Vestberg), Global Foundaries (Thomas Caulfield), NVIDIA (Jensen Huang), and Kyndryl (Martin Schroeter) attended the meet.
Meeting with Nepal PM, Kuwait Crown Prince and Palestine President
PM Modi also held bilateral talks with Nepalese Prime KP Sharma Oli and Crown Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah in New York. These meetings took place on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.
He also held bilateral talks with the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and reiterated India’s support for the early restoration of peace and stability in the region.
In his meeting with the Nepalese PM, both leaders reviewed bilateral ties between their countries. The talks focused on issues such as energy, technology, and trade.
“Had a very good meeting with Prime Minister KP Oli in New York,” Modi said in a post on X.
“The India-Nepal friendship is very robust and we look forward to adding even more momentum to our ties. Our talks focused on issues such as energy, technology and trade,” he added.
During the meeting, both the leaders also held discussions on diverse sectors including development partnership, hydropower cooperation, people-to-people ties, and enhancing connectivity – physical, digital and in the domain of energy.
PM Modi also congratulated Nepal on becoming the 101st country to join the International Solar Alliance as a full member.
The PM also met with the Crown Prince of Kuwait, Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. “We discussed how to add vigour to India-Kuwait ties in sectors like pharma, food processing, technology, energy and more,” said PM Modi on X.
Modi conveyed that India attaches utmost importance to its bilateral ties with Kuwait and both the leaders noted the strong historical ties and people-to-people linkages, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs later.
He also thanked the Crown Prince for ensuring the well-being of the Indian community in Kuwait, the largest diaspora group in the country.
The PM will address the United Nations tomorrow which will also be the last day of his three-day visit to the United States.
