Projecting his government’s success in the areas of fighting terror and graft, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that there has not been a single blot of corruption against his regime and no country has questioned the ‘surgical strikes’ conducted across the border.
Addressing the Indian diaspora here, he also promised a supportive environment for developing the country matching the progress in the US.
Calling corruption as the root cause for which previous governments were changed in India, Modi said his government has emerged corruption-free in the past three years.
“Governments were changed because of corruption. The common people hated this... There has been not a single blot on our government in the past three years. And governance is being modified so that honesty becomes an in-built process,” he said to a cheering audience.
“Technology is helping with that,” Modi said.
“Increased usage of technology brings transparency in systems. When I think of a developed India, I think of a healthy India, particularly the good health of women and children of our nation,” he said.
Talking about the army’s ‘surgical strikes’ on terror launching pads across the border on October 26 last year, the prime minister said no country has questioned the government’s action.
“The entire world could have raised many questions and pointed fingers at us over the ‘surgical strikes’. But, not a single country questioned India’s ‘surgical strikes’ against the terrorist launch pads last year,” Modi said.
Maintaining that the entire world is suffering because of the menace of terrorism, which is against mankind, the prime minister said, “When India spoke about terrorism about 20-25 years back, for many countries, it was beyond their understanding. For them it was a law and order problem, because they were not the sufferers. Today, it is not required to explain what’s terrorism. Terrorists have themselves explained it to them.”
“But when India conducts ‘surgical strike’, the world understands India is a patient country but if required, it knows how to demonstrate its ability,” said Modi.
“We are bound by international laws. We believe in the idea of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family). This is our character,” he added.
Modi also said: “We do not want to disrupt the global order. Following the international norms and law, in order to ensure that the sovereignty, security and peace is maintained, we are capable of taking very stern action.”
Addressing the diaspora here as “members of family”, Modi promised a developed India in their lifetime.
Huge opportunities for US investors: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the partnership between Indian and US businesses can bear enormous fruits, worth many billions of dollars over the next decade, and generate new employment opportunities across both societies. “The transformation of India presents abundant commercial and investment opportunities for American businesses. The rollout of the Goods and Services Tax on July 1 will, in a single stroke, convert India into a unified, continent-sized market of 1.3bn people,” Modi said in an article published in the Wall Street Journal on Sunday, coinciding with his US visit. “Indian companies are adding value to the manufacturing and services sectors in the US, with total investments of approximately $15bn and a presence in more than 35 states, including in the Rust Belt. American companies have likewise fuelled their global growth by investing more than $20bn in India,” Modi wrote.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets a group of US business leaders in Washington, DC.
