Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (local time) emphasized the evolving relationship between India and the US, particularly in the realm of artificial intelligence, redefining it as the 'America-India spirit.' Speaking to the Indian diaspora at Nassau Coliseum in New York, Long Island during the Modi&US Event, he stated: 'For the world, AI means artificial intelligence, but for me, AI also means American-Indian spirit. This is the new 'AI' power of the world....I salute the Indian diaspora here.'
PM Modi highlighted that the Indian diaspora has always been the country's most potent brand ambassador. 'I have always understood your potential... the potential of the Indian diaspora. You have always been India's strongest band ambassador for me. That's why I call all of you 'Rashtradoot.' Now, Apna Namaste has also become multinational. It has gone from local to global and you have done all this. Every Indian who keeps India in his heart has done this. You have connected India with America and America with India. Your skill, talent, and commitment are unmatched. Despite being overseas, no ocean can separate you from India,' PM Modi added.
He also commended the Indian community for maintaining the tradition of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,' meaning 'the world is one family.' 'Wherever we go, we treat everyone as family and mingle with them. Understanding diversity, living it, implementing it in our lives... it is in our values. Someone speaks Tamil... someone Telugu, someone Malayalam, someone Kannada... someone Punjabi, someone Marathi, someone Gujarati... There are many languages, but the feeling is one... and that feeling is - Indianness,' said PM Modi.
Speaking on India's diversity, PM Modi noted: 'We are residents of a country where there are hundreds of languages and dialects, all the religions and sects of the world. Still, we are moving ahead united and noble. This is our biggest strength to connect with the world. These values naturally bind us to the world.'
Praising the Indian diaspora for their talent and skill, he said that they connect India to America. 'You have connected India to America and America to India. Your skill, talent, and commitment have no competition. You might have come seven seas apart, but no sea has that much depth that it can distance you from India. What Ma Bharati has taught us, we can never forget that. Wherever we go, we accept all as family. To understand diversity, to live diversity is in our veins,' said PM Modi.
America and India are set to emerge as AI powerhouses in the new world, and Prime Minister Modi's recent visit to the US has fortified this partnership. During his address at the Quad Leaders' Summit, PM Modi underscored that the group is a 'force of Global Good' that will contribute to the betterment of the world.
The US-India partnership has made significant strides in AI research and development. The Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) has facilitated cooperation in key areas like space, semiconductors, and advanced telecommunications. The two nations are also collaborating on the development of small modular reactor technologies and exploring opportunities to expand cooperation in solar, wind, and nuclear energy.
The diaspora crowd gave a standing ovation to PM Modi as he entered the event venue and took the stage. Talented artists from the Indian community performed, setting the perfect tone for PM Modi's address to the Indian diaspora in the US. PM Modi's address at the 'Modi and US' programme is a historic event unfolding at the Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, New York, as 15,000 members of the Indian diaspora gather from 42 different states to welcome the Prime Minister.
Later in the day, PM Modi will chair key bilateral meetings in New York and attend a CEO Roundtable. Additionally, he will address the Summit of the Future on September 23.
