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In his address of about an hour, Modi said that America’s democracy is the oldest and India is the largest democracy, so the partnership of the two countries is good for the future of democracy.
“It’s good for a better future for the world and a better world for the future,” he said.
Referring to the Russia-Ukraine war, Modi said, “This is not an era of war, but an era of dialogue and diplomacy and we all must do whatever we can to stop the bloodshed and human suffering.” . The global order is based on respect for the United Nations Charter, peaceful settlement of disputes, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He said that the stability of the Indo-Pacific region has become one of the central concerns of the partnership of the two countries and both share the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
On the issue of terrorism, the Prime Minister said that more than two decades after the 9/11 attacks in the US and more than a decade after 26/11 in Mumbai, terrorism and radicalism continue to be a threat to the entire world.
He said, ‘Terrorism is the enemy of humanity and there can be no ifs and buts in dealing with it. We have to overcome all such forces sponsoring and exporting terror.
The Prime Minister took the occasion to call for reviving multilateralism and reforming multilateral institutions with better resources and representation, saying that this applies to all global institutions of governance, especially the United Nations.
He said, ‘When the world has changed, our institutions should also change.’
Prime Minister Modi is on a state visit to the US from June 21 to 24 at the invitation of President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.
Modi said America has embraced people from all over the world and made them equal partners in the American dream. He said that there are lakhs of people who have their roots in India and some of them proudly sit here in this room. He also mentioned Vice President Kamala Harris in this sequence.
Referring to Indian democracy and its diversity, Modi said India is celebrating its remarkable journey of 75 years of independence after a long period of slavery and it is not only a celebration of democracy but also a celebration of its diversity.
“It is not only a spirit of our competitive and cooperative federalism but also of our unity and integrity as well as social empowerment,” he said. That’s why today everyone in the world wants to understand India’s development, democracy and diversity.
He said that it is always an honor to address the US Congress but it is an extraordinary privilege for him that he has got this opportunity twice.
Before addressing the joint session, Prime Minister Modi and US President Joe Biden held bilateral talks at the White House and reviewed the overall relationship between the two countries and discussed ways to further strengthen it.
After the talks, Prime Minister Modi said that a new chapter has been added in the relations between India and America and the overall global strategic partnership. At the same time, US President Biden said that this partnership with India is one of the most important partnerships in the world which is stronger, closer and more dynamic than any other time in history.
Prior to the bilateral talks, Prime Minister Modi was accorded a grand welcome at the White House, where he was received by US President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill Biden.
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