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In a world of new security challenges & economic uncertainties, BRICS stands as a beacon of peace, potential & promise: PM Modi

Published By : Admin | October 16, 2016 | 15:20 IST
In a world of new security challenges & economic uncertainties, BRICS stands as a beacon of peace, potential & promise: PM Modi
We should set ourselves a target to double intra-BRICS to US Dollars five hundred billion by 2020: PM Modi
Terrorism casts a long shadow on our development and economic prosperity: PM Modi

Your Excellency President Xi Jinping,
Your Excellency President Jacob Zuma,
Your Excellency President Michel Temer,
Your Excellency President Vladimir Putin,

Distinguished Delegates,

I join 1.25 billion Indians in once again extending a very warm welcome to all of you in Goa for the eighth (8th) BRICS Summit.

I am honoured to chair the BRICS Leaders’ Plenary Meeting. Our exchanges earlier during the day were productive.

This session should build on them and deliberate on a pro-active agenda of action for BRICS.

The footprint of intra-BRICS engagement has expanded over time to include large areas of economic activity.

The scope of our partnership today stretches from agriculture to industry and innovation; trade to tourism; environment to energy; films to football; skill development to smart cities; and from fighting corruption and money laundering to securing our societies.

This year, we have taken BRICS to our cities and provinces and linked it directly to our people from different walks of life.

Excellencies,

We are celebrating 10 years of our partnership under BRICS. A decade of collaboration has produced strong benefits of cooperation.

We are entitled to take pride in our initiatives and achievements.

The establishment of New Development Bank and the Contingency Reserve Arrangement are indeed signature achievements.

In a world of new security challenges and continuing economic uncertainties, BRICS stands as a beacon of peace potential and promise.

Our work holds much meaning for the developing world.

In the past year, BRICS have played an active role in shaping the global agenda for change and development.

Our association with Agenda 2030, the Paris Climate Agreement, and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development has been purposeful and productive.

And, we remain at the forefront of pushing change in the global governance architectures.

Excellencies,

While our achievements have been substantial, we need to sustain the positive direction and strong momentum of intra-BRICS engagement.

We also need to add more content to it.

Let me offer some thoughts for your consideration.

First, the process of institution building in BRICS must continue to remain a focus area.

The institutions that we build must support the development of our countries and regions.

They should enable greater flexibility and freedom, and offer wider choices in responding to our developmental priorities.

We look forward to translating into reality the idea of a BRICS Credit Rating Agency.

We must also speed up the work on setting up BRICS Agriculture Research Centre, BRICS Railway Research Network, and BRICS Sports Council.

There is also a clear need to build norms, create structures and pool our capacities to stop tax evasion, and fight against black money and corruption.

Our agencies must also build mechanisms of information sharing to bring to justice the tax offenders and money launderers.

BRICS should push for empowering the global governance institutions to reflect today's reality.

Second, transform the quantum and quality of trade and investment linkages among BRICS.

In 2015, intra-BRICS trade stood at about 250 billion US Dollars.

We should set ourselves a target to double this number to US Dollars five hundred billion by 2020.

This requires businesses and industry in all five countries to scale up their engagement.

And, for governments to facilitate this process to the fullest. Our agreement on a tax and custom cooperation framework is a good start.

The BRICS Trade Fair and Exhibition just concluded in New Delhi should become a regular platform for business exchanges.

And, the BRICS New Development Bank must play an active role to support this objective.

It can also help integrate our SMEs into global value chains. We must also coordinate closely to preserve the central role of the Doha Development Round and the WTO.

Alongside, we should increase our cooperation and convergence at the G-20, WTO and other fora.

India has tabled a draft of the Trade Facilitation Agreement for Services at the WTO.

It seeks to maximize the benefits of services liberalization and trade to the developing countries.

A strong BRICS support to this proposal will be in our collective economic interest.

Third, focus on key priorities of our economic transformations.

Urbanization, infrastructure and innovation represent the key focus areas for BRICS economies.

Under India’s Chairmanship, we have placed emphasis on digital- technology, smart-cities, urbanization, and cooperation between our cities.

The next billion internet users will come from emerging markets.

Our cooperation must grab this opportunity to transform the basic structure of our economies.

Fourth, secure our societies.

In the world we inhabit today, security and counter-terrorism cooperation is necessary if we are to secure the lives of our citizens.

Terrorism casts a long shadow on our development and economic prosperity.

Its reach is now global. It has grown more lethal and adept at the use of technology.

Our response to terrorism must, therefore, be nothing less than comprehensive.

And, we need to act both individually and collectively. Selective approaches to terrorist individuals and organizations will not only be futile but also counter-productive.

There must be no distinction based on artificial and self-serving grounds.

Criminality should be the only basis for punitive action against the individuals and organizations responsible for carrying out terrorist acts.

Terrorist funding, their weapons supply, training and political support must be systematically cut off.

In this respect, we need to deepen the security cooperation between our National Security Advisors.

Early adoption of the draft Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism will be an expression of our resolve to fight this menace.

Fifth, thriving people-to-people exchanges is the lifeblood of BRICS.

It brings vibrancy and richness to our partnership.

We have chosen to highlight this dimension this year.

The BRICS Films Festival, Trade Fair, Tourism Convention, Sports Council, Football Tournament and other related activities will help in creating millions of young stakeholders that will ultimately carry our partnership forward.

Excellencies,

I am eager to hear from my fellow BRICS leaders on their vision for a stronger, deeper and vibrant BRICS community.

I thank you for your attention.

Thank you.

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Text of PM Modi's address to the Indian Community in Guyana
November 22, 2024
The Indian diaspora in Guyana has made an impact across many sectors and contributed to Guyana’s development: PM
You can take an Indian out of India, but you cannot take India out of an Indian: PM
Three things, in particular, connect India and Guyana deeply,Culture, cuisine and cricket: PM
India's journey over the past decade has been one of scale, speed and sustainability: PM
India’s growth has not only been inspirational but also inclusive: PM
I always call our diaspora the Rashtradoots,They are Ambassadors of Indian culture and values: PM

Your Excellency President Irfan Ali,
Prime Minister Mark Philips,
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo,
Former President Donald Ramotar,
Members of the Guyanese Cabinet,
Members of the Indo-Guyanese Community,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Namaskar!

Seetaram !

I am delighted to be with all of you today.First of all, I want to thank President Irfan Ali for joining us.I am deeply touched by the love and affection given to me since my arrival.I thank President Ali for opening the doors of his home to me.

I thank his family for their warmth and kindness. The spirit of hospitality is at the heart of our culture. I could feel that, over the last two days. With President Ali and his grandmother, we also planted a tree. It is part of our initiative, "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam", that is, "a tree for mother”. It was an emotional moment that I will always remember.

Friends,

I was deeply honoured to receive the ‘Order of Excellence’, the highest national award of Guyana. I thank the people of Guyana for this gesture. This is an honour of 1.4 billion Indians. It is the recognition of the 3 lakh strong Indo-Guyanese community and their contributions to the development of Guyana.

Friends,

I have great memories of visiting your wonderful country over two decades ago. At that time, I held no official position. I came to Guyana as a traveller, full of curiosity. Now, I have returned to this land of many rivers as the Prime Minister of India. A lot of things have changed between then and now. But the love and affection of my Guyanese brothers and sisters remains the same! My experience has reaffirmed - you can take an Indian out of India, but you cannot take India out of an Indian.

Friends,

Today, I visited the India Arrival Monument. It brings to life, the long and difficult journey of your ancestors nearly two centuries ago. They came from different parts of India. They brought with them different cultures, languages and traditions. Over time, they made this new land their home. Today, these languages, stories and traditions are part of the rich culture of Guyana.

I salute the spirit of the Indo-Guyanese community. You fought for freedom and democracy. You have worked to make Guyana one of the fastest growing economies. From humble beginnings you have risen to the top. Shri Cheddi Jagan used to say: "It matters not what a person is born, but who they choose to be.”He also lived these words. The son of a family of labourers, he went on to become a leader of global stature.

President Irfan Ali, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, former President Donald Ramotar, they are all Ambassadors of the Indo Guyanese community. Joseph Ruhomon, one of the earliest Indo-Guyanese intellectuals, Ramcharitar Lalla, one of the first Indo-Guyanese poets, Shana Yardan, the renowned woman poet, Many such Indo-Guyanese made an impact on academics and arts, music and medicine.

Friends,

Our commonalities provide a strong foundation to our friendship. Three things, in particular, connect India and Guyana deeply. Culture, cuisine and cricket! Just a couple of weeks ago, I am sure you all celebrated Diwali. And in a few months, when India celebrates Holi, Guyana will celebrate Phagwa.

This year, the Diwali was special as Ram Lalla returned to Ayodhya after 500 years. People in India remember that the holy water and shilas from Guyana were also sent to build the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Despite being oceans apart, your cultural connection with Mother India is strong.

I could feel this when I visited the Arya Samaj Monument and Saraswati Vidya Niketan School earlier today. Both India and Guyana are proud of our rich and diverse culture. We see diversity as something to be celebrated, not just accommodated. Our countries are showing how cultural diversity is our strength.

Friends,

Wherever people of India go, they take one important thing along with them. The food! The Indo-Guyanese community also has a unique food tradition which has both Indian and Guyanese elements. I am aware that Dhal Puri is popular here! The seven-curry meal that I had at President Ali’s home was delicious. It will remain a fond memory for me.

Friends,

The love for cricket also binds our nations strongly. It is not just a sport. It is a way of life, deeply embedded in our national identity. The Providence National Cricket Stadium in Guyana stands as a symbol of our friendship.

Kanhai, Kalicharan, Chanderpaul are all well-known names in India. Clive Lloyd and his team have been a favourite of many generations. Young players from this region also have a huge fan base in India. Some of these great cricketers are here with us today. Many of our cricket fans enjoyed the T-20 World Cup that you hosted this year.

Your cheers for the ‘Team in Blue’ at their match in Guyana could be heard even back home in India!

Friends,

This morning, I had the honour of addressing the Guyanese Parliament. Coming from the Mother of Democracy, I felt the spiritual connect with one of the most vibrant democracies in the Caribbean region. We have a shared history that binds us together. Common struggle against colonial rule, love for democratic values, And, respect for diversity.

We have a shared future that we want to create. Aspirations for growth and development, Commitment towards economy and ecology, And, belief in a just and inclusive world order.

Friends,

I know the people of Guyana are well-wishers of India. You would be closely watching the progress being made in India. India’s journey over the past decade has been one of scale, speed and sustainability.

In just 10 years, India has grown from the tenth largest economy to the fifth largest. And, soon, we will become the third-largest. Our youth have made us the third largest start-up ecosystem in the world. India is a global hub for e-commerce, AI, fintech, agriculture, technology and more.

We have reached Mars and the Moon. From highways to i-ways, airways to railways, we are building state of art infrastructure. We have a strong service sector. Now, we are also becoming stronger in manufacturing. India has become the second largest mobile manufacturer in the world.

Friends,

India’s growth has not only been inspirational but also inclusive. Our digital public infrastructure is empowering the poor. We opened over 500 million bank accounts for the people. We connected these bank accounts with digital identity and mobiles. Due to this, people receive assistance directly in their bank accounts. Ayushman Bharat is the world’s largest free health insurance scheme. It is benefiting over 500 million people.

We have built over 30 million homes for those in need. In just one decade, we have lifted 250 million people out of poverty. Even among the poor, our initiatives have benefited women the most. Millions of women are becoming grassroots entrepreneurs, generating jobs and opportunities.

Friends,

While all this massive growth was happening, we also focused on sustainability. In just a decade, our solar energy capacity grew 30-fold ! Can you imagine ?We have moved towards green mobility, with 20 percent ethanol blending in petrol.

At the international level too, we have played a central role in many initiatives to combat climate change. The International Solar Alliance, The Global Biofuels Alliance, The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, Many of these initiatives have a special focus on empowering the Global South.

We have also championed the International Big Cat Alliance. Guyana, with its majestic Jaguars, also stands to benefit from this.

Friends,

Last year, we had hosted President Irfaan Ali as the Chief Guest of the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas. We also received Prime Minister Mark Phillips and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo in India. Together, we have worked to strengthen bilateral cooperation in many areas.

Today, we have agreed to widen the scope of our collaboration -from energy to enterprise,Ayurveda to agriculture, infrastructure to innovation, healthcare to human resources, anddata to development. Our partnership also holds significant value for the wider region. The second India-CARICOM summit held yesterday is testament to the same.

As members of the United Nations, we both believe in reformed multilateralism. As developing countries, we understand the power of the Global South. We seek strategic autonomy and support inclusive development. We prioritize sustainable development and climate justice. And, we continue to call for dialogue and diplomacy to address global crises.

Friends,

I always call our diaspora the Rashtradoots. An Ambassador is a Rajdoot, but for me you are all Rashtradoots. They are Ambassadors of Indian culture and values. It is said that no worldly pleasure can compare to the comfort of a mother’s lap.

You, the Indo-Guyanese community, are doubly blessed. You have Guyana as your motherland and Bharat Mata as your ancestral land. Today, when India is a land of opportunities, each one of you can play a bigger role in connecting our two countries.

Friends,

Bharat Ko Janiye Quiz has been launched. I call upon you to participate. Also encourage your friends from Guyana. It will be a good opportunity to understand India, its values, culture and diversity.

Friends,

Next year, from 13 January to 26 February, Maha Kumbh will be held at Prayagraj. I invite you to attend this gathering with families and friends. You can travel to Basti or Gonda, from where many of you came. You can also visit the Ram Temple at Ayodhya. There is another invite.

It is for the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas that will be held in Bhubaneshwar in January. If you come, you can also take the blessings of Mahaprabhu Jagannath in Puri. Now with so many events and invitations, I hope to see many of you in India soon. Once again, thank you all for the love and affection you have shown me.

Thank you.
Thank you very much.

And special thanks to my friend Ali. Thanks a lot.