PM Modi tackle to Joint US Congress: FULL TRANSCRIPT

In an virtually one-hour speech to the Joint US Congress, PM Narendra Modi touched upon quite a lot of themes. They had been met with applause and standing ovation a number of occasions by the US Congress members, together with Vice President Kamala Harris.

PM Modi acquired 15 standing ovations and 79 applauses throughout his hour-long speech. The Indian Prime Minister was additionally greeted with chants of ‘Modi Modi’, ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Mataram.’ Following his speech, US lawmakers had been seen lining as much as work together with Narendra Modi.

During this time, he signed autographs and clicked selfies with members of the US Congress. PM Modi additionally autographed the joint session tackle booklet, offered to him by US House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy.

Here is the complete transcript of PM Modi tackle to the Joint US Congress:

It is at all times a terrific honour to handle the United States Congress. It is an distinctive privilege to take action twice. For this honour, I lengthen my deepest gratitude on behalf of the 1.4 billion folks of India. I see that just about half of you had been right here in 2016. I really feel your heat as outdated pals. I may also see the keenness of a brand new friendship within the different half. I bear in mind Senator Harry Reid, Senator John McCain, Senator Orrin Hatch, Elijah Cummings, Alcee Hastings and others, who I met right here in 2016, and who’re sadly now not with us. 

Mister Speaker, 

Standing right here, seven Junes in the past, that’s the June when Hamilton swept all of the awards, I mentioned that the hesitations of historical past had been behind us. Now, when our period is at a crossroads, I’m right here to talk about our calling for this century. Through the lengthy and winding highway that we have now travelled, we have now met the take a look at of friendship. Rather a lot has modified since I got here right here seven summers in the past. But lots has remained the identical – like our dedication to deepen the friendship between India and the United States. In the previous few years, there have been many advances in AI – Artificial Intelligence. At the identical time, there have been much more momentous developments in one other AI – America and India. 

Mister Speaker and Distinguished Members, 

The great thing about democracy is the fixed join with the folks, to take heed to them, and really feel their pulse. And, I do know this takes a variety of time, vitality, effort, and journey. It is a Thursday afternoon – a fly-out day for a few of you. So, I’m grateful to your time. I additionally understand how busy you might have been this final month. 

Being a citizen of a vibrant democracy myself, I can admit one factor Mister Speaker – you might have a tricky job! I can relate to the battles of ardour, persuasion and coverage. I can perceive the controversy of concepts and beliefs. But I’m delighted to see you come collectively right this moment, to have fun the bond between world’s two nice democracies – India and the United States. I’m joyful to assist out everytime you want a robust bipartisan consensus. There will likely be – and there should be – a contest of concepts at house. But, we should additionally come collectively as one after we converse for our nation. And, you might have proven that you are able to do it. Congratulations! 

Mister Speaker, 

The basis of America was impressed by the imaginative and prescient of a nation of equal folks. Throughout your historical past, you might have embraced folks from world wide. And, you might have made them equal companions within the American dream. There are hundreds of thousands right here, who’ve roots in India. Some of them sit proudly on this chamber. There is one behind me, who has made historical past! I’m informed that the Samosa Caucus is now the flavour of the House. I hope it grows and brings the complete range of Indian delicacies right here. Over two centuries, we have now impressed one another by way of the lives of nice Americans and Indians. We pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Junior. We additionally bear in mind many others who labored for liberty, equality and justice. Today, I additionally want to pay a heartfelt tribute to certainly one of them – Congressman John Lewis. 

Mister Speaker, 

Democracy is certainly one of our sacred and shared values. It has developed over a very long time, and brought varied types and techniques. Throughout historical past, nevertheless, one factor has been clear. 

Democracy is the spirit that helps equality and dignity. 

Democracy is the concept welcomes debate and discourse. 
Democracy is the tradition that provides wings to thought and expression. 
India is blessed to have such values from occasions immemorial. 
In the evolution of the democratic spirit, India is the Mother of Democracy. 
Millennia in the past, our oldest scriptures mentioned, 
‘एकम् सत् विप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति’. 
It means – the reality is one however the smart specific it in several methods. 
Now, the US is the oldest and India the biggest democracy. 
Our partnership augurs properly for the way forward for democracy. 
Together, we will give a greater future to the world, and a greater world to the long run. 

Mister Speaker, 

Last yr, India celebrated 75 years of its independence. Every milestone is necessary, however this one was particular. We celebrated a outstanding journey of over 75 years of freedom, after a thousand years of international rule in a single kind or one other. This was not only a celebration of democracy, but additionally of range. Not simply of Constitution, but additionally of its spirit of social empowerment. Not simply of our aggressive and cooperative federalism, but additionally of our important unity and integrity. 

We have over two thousand 5 hundred political events. Yes, you heard that right- two thousand 5 hundred. About twenty completely different events govern varied states of India. We have twenty-two official languages and 1000’s of dialects, and but, we converse in a single voice. Every hundred miles, our delicacies adjustments. From Dosa to Aloo Prantha and from Srikhand to Sandesh. We get pleasure from all of those. We are house to all faiths on the planet, and we have fun all of them. In India, range is a pure lifestyle. 

Today, the world desires to know an increasing number of about India. I see that curiosity on this House too. We had been honoured to obtain over hundred Members of the US Congress in India during the last decade. Everyone desires to know India’s improvement, democracy and variety. Everyone desires to know what India is doing proper and the way. Among shut pals, I’m joyful to share the identical. 

Mister Speaker, 

When I first visited the US as Prime Minister, India was the tenth largest financial system on the planet. Today, India is the fifth largest financial system. And, India would be the third largest financial system quickly. We usually are not solely rising larger however we’re additionally rising sooner. When India grows, the entire world grows. After all, we’re one sixth of the world’s inhabitants! In the final century, when India received its freedom, it impressed many different nations to free themselves from colonial rule. In this century, when India units benchmarks in progress, it is going to encourage many different nations to do the identical. Our imaginative and prescient is सबका साथ, सबका विकास, सबका विश्वास, सबका प्रयास. It means: Together, for everybody’s progress, with everybody’s belief and everybody’s efforts. 

Let me share with you ways this imaginative and prescient is translating into motion, with velocity and scale. We are specializing in infrastructure improvement. We have given practically forty million houses to offer shelter to over hundred and fifty million folks. That is almost six occasions the inhabitants of Australia! We run a nationwide medical insurance programme that ensures free medical therapy for about 5 hundred million folks. That is larger than the inhabitants of South America! We took banking to the unbanked with the world’s largest monetary inclusion drive. Nearly 5 hundred million folks benefited. 

This is near the inhabitants of North America! We have labored on constructing Digital India. Today, there are greater than eight hundred and fifty million sensible telephones and web customers within the nation. This is greater than the inhabitants of Europe! We protected our folks with two level two billion doses of made in India COVID vaccines, and that too freed from price! I could also be working out of continents quickly, so I’ll cease right here! 

Distinguished members, 

The Vedas are one of many world’s oldest scriptures. They are a terrific treasure of humanity, composed 1000’s of years in the past. Back then, girls sages composed many verses within the Vedas. And right this moment, in trendy India, girls are main us to a greater future. India’s imaginative and prescient isn’t just of improvement which advantages girls. It is of women-led improvement, the place girls lead the journey of progress. A lady has risen from a humble tribal background, to be our Head of State. 

Nearly one level 5 million elected girls lead us at varied ranges and that’s of native governments. Today, girls serve our nation within the Army, Navy and Air Force. India additionally has the very best share of girls airline pilots on the planet. And, they’ve additionally put us on Mars, by main our Mars Mission. I consider that investing in a woman baby lifts up the whole household. Empowering girls, transforms the nation. 

Mister Speaker, 

India is an historical nation with a youthful inhabitants. India is understood for its traditions. But the youthful era can be making it a hub of know-how. Be it artistic reels on Insta or actual time funds, coding or quantum computing, machine studying or cell apps, FinTech or information science, the youth of India are a terrific instance of how a society can embrace newest know-how. In India, know-how shouldn’t be solely about innovation but additionally about inclusion. Today, digital platforms are empowering the rights and dignity of individuals, whereas defending privateness. 

In the final 9 years, over a billion folks received a singular digital biometric identification linked with their financial institution accounts and cell phones. This digital public infrastructure helps us attain residents inside seconds with monetary help. Eight hundred and fifty million folks obtain direct profit monetary transfers into their accounts. Three occasions a yr, over hundred million farmers obtain help of their financial institution accounts on the click on of a button. The worth of such transfers has crossed 300 and twenty billion {dollars}, and we have now saved over twenty 5 billion {dollars} within the course of. If you go to India, you will notice everyone seems to be utilizing telephones for funds, together with avenue distributors. 

Last yr, out of each 100 actual time digital funds on the planet, 46 occurred in India. Nearly 4 hundred thousand miles of optical fibre cables, and low cost information have ushered in a revolution of alternatives. Farmers verify climate updates, the aged get social safety funds, college students entry scholarships, docs ship tele-medicine, fishermen verify fishing grounds and small companies get loans, with only a faucet on their telephones. 

Mister Speaker, 

A spirit of democracy, inclusion and sustainability defines us. It additionally shapes our outlook to the world. India grows whereas being accountable about our planet. 

We consider: 

माता भूमि: पुत्रो अहं पृथिव्या: 

This means- “the Earth is our Mother and we are her children.” 

Indian tradition deeply respects the surroundings and our planet. While turning into the quickest rising financial system, we grew our photo voltaic capability by Two Thousand Three Hundred Percent! Yes, you heard it proper – Two Thousand Three Hundred Percent! 

We grew to become the one G20 nation to fulfill its Paris dedication. We made renewables account for over forty p.c of our vitality sources, 9 years forward of the goal of 2030. But we didn’t cease there. At the Glasgow Summit, I proposed Mission LiFE- Lifestyle for Environment. This is a strategy to make sustainability a real folks’s motion. Not depart it to be the job of governments alone. 

By being conscious in making decisions, each particular person could make a constructive impression. Making sustainability a mass motion will assist the world attain the Net Zero goal sooner. Our imaginative and prescient is pro-planet progress. Our imaginative and prescient is pro-planet prosperity. Our imaginative and prescient is pro-planet folks. 

Mister Speaker, 

We stay by the motto of वसुधैव कुटुंबकम or The World is One Family. Our engagement with the world is for everybody’s profit. The “One Sun, One World, One Grid” seeks to hitch us all in connecting the world with clear vitality. “One Earth, One Health” is a imaginative and prescient for international motion to deliver high quality healthcare to everybody, together with animals and vegetation. 

The similar spirit can be seen within the theme after we Chair the G20 – “One Earth, One Family, One Future.” We advance the spirit of unity by way of Yoga as properly. Just yesterday, the entire world got here collectively to have fun the International Day of Yoga. Just final week, all nations joined our proposal on the UN to construct a Memorial Wall to honour the peacekeepers. 

And this yr, the entire world is celebrating the International Year of Millets, to advertise sustainable agriculture and diet alike. During Covid, we delivered vaccines and medicines to over hundred and fifty nations. We attain out to others throughout disasters as first responders, as we do for our personal. We share our modest assets with those that want them probably the most. We construct capabilities, not dependencies. 

Mister Speaker, 

When I talk about India’s strategy to the world, the United States occupies a particular place. I do know our relationships are of nice significance to all of you. Every Member of this Congress has a deep curiosity in it. When defence and aerospace in India develop, industries within the states of Washington, Arizona, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania thrive. When American firms develop, their analysis and improvement centres in India thrive. When Indians fly extra, a single order for aircrafts creates greater than one million jobs in forty 4 states in America. 

When an American telephone maker invests in India, it creates a complete ecosystem of jobs and alternatives, in each nations. When India and the US work collectively on semi-conductors and demanding minerals, it helps the world in making provide chains extra numerous, resilient and dependable. Indeed, Mister Speaker, we had been strangers in defence cooperation on the flip of the century. Now, the United States has turn into certainly one of our most necessary defence companions. Today India and the US are working collectively, in area and within the seas, in science and in semi-conductors, in start-ups and sustainability, in tech and in commerce, in farming and finance, in artwork and synthetic intelligence, in vitality and training, in healthcare and humanitarian efforts. 

I can go on and on. But, to sum it up, I’d say, 
The scope of our co-operation is limitless, 
The potential of our synergies is limitless, 
And, the chemistry in our relationships is easy. 

In all this, Indian Americans have performed a giant position. They are good in each area, not simply in Spelling Bee. With their hearts and minds, expertise and expertise, and their love for America and India, they’ve linked us; they’ve unlocked doorways; they’ve proven the potential of our partnership. 

Mister Speaker, Distinguished Members, 

Every Indian Prime Minister and American President of the previous has taken our relationship additional. But our era has the honour of taking it to larger heights. I agree with President Biden that this can be a defining partnership of this century. Because it serves a bigger goal. Democracy, demography and future give us that goal. One consequence of globalisation has been the over-concentration of provide chains. 

We will work collectively to diversify, decentralize, and democratise provide chains. Technology will decide the safety, prosperity and management within the Twenty First century. That is why our two nations established a brand new “Initiative for Critical and Emerging Technologies.” Our data partnership will serve humanity and search options to the worldwide challenges of local weather change, starvation and well being. 

Mister Speaker and distinguished Members, 

The previous couple of years have seen deeply disruptive developments. With the Ukraine battle, battle has returned to Europe. It is inflicting nice ache within the area. Since it includes main powers, the outcomes are extreme. Countries of the Global South have been significantly affected. The international order relies on the respect for the rules of the UN Charter, peaceable decision of disputes, and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

As I’ve mentioned immediately and publicly, this isn’t an period of battle. But, it’s certainly one of dialogue and diplomacy. And, all of us should do what we will to cease the bloodshed and human struggling. Mister Speaker, The darkish clouds of coercion and confrontation are casting their shadow within the Indo Pacific. The stability of the area has turn into one of many central considerations of our partnership. 

We share a imaginative and prescient of a free, open and inclusive Indo Pacific, linked by safe seas, outlined by worldwide legislation, free from domination, and anchored in ASEAN centrality. A area the place all nations, small and huge, are free and fearless of their decisions, the place progress shouldn’t be suffocated by unattainable burdens of debt, the place connectivity shouldn’t be leveraged for strategic functions, the place all nations are lifted by the excessive tide of shared prosperity. 

Our imaginative and prescient doesn’t search to comprise or exclude, however to construct a cooperative area of peace and prosperity. We work by way of regional establishments and with our companions from throughout the area and past. Of this, Quad has emerged as a serious power of excellent for the area. 

Mister Speaker, 

More than 20 years after 9/11 and greater than a decade after 26/11 in Mumbai, radicalism and terrorism nonetheless stay a urgent hazard for the entire world. These ideologies maintain taking new identities and types, however their intentions are the identical. Terrorism is an enemy of humanity and there might be no ifs or buts in coping with it. We should overcome all such forces sponsoring and exporting terror. 

Mister Speaker, 

COVID-19’s largest impression was the human loss and struggling it brought on. I want to bear in mind Congressman, Ron Wright and the employees members who misplaced their lives to Covid. As we emerge out of the pandemic, we should give form to a brand new world order. Consideration, care and concern are the necessity of the hour. Giving a voice to the Global South is the best way ahead. That is why I firmly consider that the African Union be given full membership of G20. 

We should revive multilateralism and reform multilateral establishments, with higher assets and illustration. That applies to all our international establishments of governance, particularly the United Nations. When the world has modified, our establishments too should change. Or, danger getting changed by a world of rivalries with out guidelines. In working for a brand new world order based mostly on worldwide legislation, our two nations will likely be on the forefront, as companions. 

Mister Speaker and Distinguished members, 

Today, we stand at a brand new daybreak in our relationship that won’t solely form the future of our two nations, but additionally that of the world. As the younger American Poet Amanda Gorman has expressed: 

“When day comes we step out of the shade, 
aflame and unafraid, 
the new dawn blooms as we free it. 
For there is always light, 
if only we’re brave enough to see it.” 

Our trusted partnership is just like the Sun on this new daybreak that can unfold mild throughout. 

I’m reminded of a poem that I as soon as wrote : 

आसमान में सिर उठाकर
घने बादलों को चीरकर
रोशनी का संकल्प लें
अभी तो सूरज उगा है ।
दृढ़ निश्चय के साथ चलकर
हर मुश्किल को पार कर
घोर अंधेरे को मिटाने
अभी तो सूरज उगा है।। 

If I had been to say it in English, it might be: 

Raising its head within the skies, 
Piercing by way of the dense clouds, 
With the promise of sunshine, 
The solar has simply risen. 
Armed with a deep resolve, 
Overcoming all the chances, 
To dispel the forces of darkness, 
The solar has simply risen. 

Mister Speaker and Distinguished Members, 

We come from completely different circumstances and historical past, however we’re united by a standard imaginative and prescient. And, by a standard future. When our partnership progresses, financial resilience will increase, innovation grows, science prospers, data advances, humanity advantages, our seas and skies are safer, democracy will shine brighter, and the world will likely be a greater place. 

That is the mission of our partnership. That is our calling for this century. Mister Speaker and Distinguished members, Even by the excessive requirements of our partnership, this go to is certainly one of a terrific constructive transformation. Together, we will show that democracies matter and democracies ship. I rely in your continued help to the India-US partnership. 

When I used to be right here in 2016, I had mentioned that “our relationship is primed for a momentous future”. That future is right this moment. Thank you as soon as once more Mister Speaker, Madam Vice-President and the Distinguished Members for this honour. 

God Bless America. 

Jai Hind. 

Long Live India-US friendship.