Two new Indian consulates to be opened in US to strengthen ties with Indian diaspora

Calling Indian diaspora as Rashtradoots, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, they have always been the country’s strongest brand ambassadors. The Prime Minister said this while addressing a large gathering of the Indian community at an event in Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, New York tonight.

Lauding the Indian diaspora’s role in India-US bilateral relations, the Prime Minister said, for the world, AI stands for Artificial Intelligence, but he believes AI also represents the American-Indian spirit. He said, the Indian diaspora have connected America to India and India to America and their skill and talent are unmatched. The Prime Minister expressed gratitude towards US President Joe Biden for hosting him in his home, and said it is an honour for 140 crore Indians.

Prime Minister Modi has announced that two new Indian consulates will be opened in the US in Boston and Los Angeles. This expansion reflects India’s commitment to strengthening ties with the Indian diaspora across the United States.  India has six consulates in New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco and Seattle. The Prime Minister also announced the opening of a Thiruvalluvar Chair of Tamil studies in the University of Houston.

Prime Minister Modi said that India is a country where there are dozens of languages and dialogues, all faiths and religions of the world and yet people are moving forward united. He noted that understanding diversity, living it and incorporating it into daily life is in Indian culture.

At the event, the Prime Minister gave the PUSHP mantra for making India a developed nation. He said, these five pillars together will build a Viksit Bharat. Mr. Modi said, P stands for Progressive Bharat, U stands for Unstoppable Bharat, S stands for Spiritual Bharat, H stands for Humanity First Bharat, and P stands Prosperous Bharat.

Pointing towards the vibrant democracy in the country, the Prime Minister said, recently India has conducted the largest polling exercise in the world. He said his government again came to power for the third time in a row. The Prime Minister stated that his mind and mission are absolutely clear and he will devote his life for good governance and prosperous India. Mr. Modi said that 25 crore people have been lifted out of poverty in the last 10 years because of the change in ‘soch’ and approach of his government. He said that development is becoming a people’s movement in India and every citizen is a partner to it. He added that India today is a ‘land of opportunities’ and the country now doesn’t wait for opportunities but creates them.

The PM shared that in only two years since its launch, India’s 5G network is now larger than America’s 5G network and India is now working on Made In India 6G network.

The Prime Minister highlighted that compared to the entire world, India’s carbon emission is negligible. He asserted that it is Indian tradition of love for nature that is guiding the country to focus on solar and wind energy areas. He added that India is the first G20 country to achieve its Paris climate goals and assured that his government wants to make every house in India a solar power household. Talking about ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign, he urged the audience to plant at least one tree in their lifetime.

Talking about India’s growing diplomatic stature, the PM said that India is a strong voice of the Global South. He added that India is giving focus on not just GDP oriented growth but also human oriented growth. PM Modi added that today when India says something on a global platform, the world listens. Prime Minister asserted that when he said that this is not the era of war, its severity was understood by all.

Earlier, a vibrant cultural program was held at the venue. Performers took to the stage to showcase India’s rich cultural heritage with an array of colorful dance and singing performances. The cultural showcase was organized to celebrate the country’s rich heritage and its global presence during the Prime Minister’s visit, leaving the audience with a vivid impression of the country’s artistic traditions. Over 15,000 people attended the event. The venue reverberated with chants of “Modi Modi” as PM entered the venue and at different points in PM’s speech.