After having one-on-one talks with US President Joe Biden at the Oval Office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a Joint Press Conference at the White House on Thursday and hailed how “democracy runs in the veins” and how there is “no space for discrimination” in the two countries.
The prime minister highlighted the DNA of democracy that connects India and America and said: “we have always proved democracy can deliver.”
“India believes in moving forward with everybody…the benefits provided by the government are accessible to all, there is no discrimination in India,” he added.
The Prime Minister began his speech by thanking President Biden for his warm words and “positive view” on the bilateral relations between the two nations saying that “our decisions have added new chapters to our relationship.”
Modi touched upon important topics of trade, peace in Ukraine, relationship with China among others.
The prime minister spoke about China, saying that he will be meeting Chinese president Xi Jinping in the near future. Apart from this, PM Modi announced the opening of two new US Consulates in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad.
Here’s what all PM Modi said in the Joint Address
- PM Modi said that two new U.S. Consulates will be opened in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad in India, while a new Indian Consulate-General will be opened in Seattle.
- “India-US relationship is not only important for both the nations but also for the world,” he said.
- “The two biggest democracies of the world, India and the US, can contribute towards global peace, stability and prosperity. I’m sure that on the basis of these values, we can fulfil the aspirations of the world,” he said.
- The prime minister also touched upon the topic of China saying that he will be meeting Chinese president Xi Jinping in the near future. “We had an incident that caused some confusion but Secretary Blinken had a great trip to China. I expect to be meeting Chinese President Xi sometime in the future,” he said.
- On Ukraine, PM Modi said, “India has called for dialogue and diplomacy amid the Ukraine conflict. We are completely ready to contribute in any way we can to restore peace.”
- Modi highlighted the growing trade and investment and said that the two countries have “decided to resolve long pending trade issues and make new beginnings, adding that “America is India’s biggest trading partner.”
- “We are creating a strong and futuristic partnership, in order to implement the Indo-US vision on clean energy. We have taken several initiatives including Green Hydrogen projects,” Modi said.
- “Today holds a special importance in the history of India-US relations. With the discussions and important decisions taken today, a new chapter has been added to our comprehensive global strategic partnership. This has given a new direction and new energy,” he said.
- “For the partnership between India and the US, even the Sky is not the limit. The most important pillar of our relations is our people-to-people ties. More than 40 lakh people of Indian origin are contributing to the development of America,” he said.
- The Prime minister further talked about areas where the two superpowers will work together, including “designing new ways to diagnose cancer and diabetes, collaborating on the international space centre. This also included sending an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station in 2024.
- Apart from this, accelerating the global clean energy transition and tackling the climate crisis we face, to harnessing our shared expertise on critical and emerging technologies like quantum computing and artificial intelligence to ensure they are not used as tools of misinformation and oppression.
- Speaking on connections between the two nations, PM said, “Democracy can deliver and when we talk about democracy, there is no discrimination on basis of caste, creed, religion etc.
- “Our governments has taken the basic principle of democracy …. we have always proved democracy can deliver…there is no space for discriminations. India believes in moving forward with everybody…the benefits provided by the government are accessible to all, there is no discrimination in India,” he added
Earlier in the day, after the ceremonial welcome and, PM Modi held one-on-one talks with Biden at the Oval Office to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual and global interests, aimed at further boosting the Indo-US strategic relations in areas like defence, space, clean energy and critical technologies.
Modi, who is on his sixth visit to the US as prime minister, was welcomed at the South Lawn with a 21-gun salute and playing of the national anthems of India and the US.
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