Published By : Admin | January 25, 2023 | 17:22 IST
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सन्माननीय महोदय, राष्ट्राध्यक्ष सिसी,
दोन्ही देशांचे मंत्रिगण आणि प्रतिनिधी मंडळ
प्रसार माध्यमातील मित्रांनो,
सर्वप्रथम मी राष्ट्राध्यक्ष सिसी आणि त्यांच्या प्रतिनिधीमंडळाचे भारतामध्ये हार्दिक स्वागत करू इच्छितो. राष्ट्राध्यक्ष सिसी उद्या आपल्या प्रजासत्ताक दिनाच्या समारंभामध्ये प्रमुख अतिथी म्हणून सहभागी होत आहेत. संपूर्ण भारतासाठी ही सन्मानाची आणि आनंदाची बाब आहे. मला आणखी एका गोष्टीचा आनंद आहे की, इजिप्तच्या सैन्याची एक तुकडीसुद्धा आपल्या प्रजासत्ताक दिनाच्या कार्यक्रमामध्ये सहभागी होऊन पथसंचलनाची शोभा वृद्धिंगत करत आहे.
मित्रांनो,
भारत आणि इजिप्त, विश्वातल्या सर्वात प्राचीन सभ्यतांपैकी आहेत. उभय देशांमध्ये अनेक हजार वर्षांपासून अनवरत नाते आहे. चार हजार वर्षांच्याही आधी, गुजरातमधल्या लोथल बंदराच्या माध्यमातून इजिप्तबरोबर व्यापार केला जात होता. आणि विश्वामध्ये इतक्या प्रकारे परिवर्तन घडून आल्यानंतरही आपल्या संबंधांमध्ये एक प्रकारची स्थिरता राहिली आहे. आणि आपसातील सहकार्य निरंतर सुदृढ होत आहे.
गेल्या काही वर्षांमध्ये आपल्या सहकार्यामध्ये अधिकाधिक सखोलता आली आहे. आणि मी त्याचे खूप मोठे श्रेय माझे स्नेही राष्ट्राध्यक्ष सिसी यांच्या कुशल नेतृत्वाला देऊ इच्छितो.
यावर्षी भारताने आपल्या जी -20 अध्यक्षपदाच्या काळामध्ये इजिप्तला अतिथी देश म्हणून आमंत्रित केले आहे. यावरून उभय देशातील विशेष मैत्री दर्शविते.
मित्रांनो,
अरबी समुद्राच्या एका किना-यावर भारत आहे तर दुस-या किनाऱ्यावर इजिप्त आहे. दोन्ही देशांमध्ये असणारे सामरिक समन्वय संपूर्ण क्षेत्रामध्ये शांती आणि समृद्धीसाठी सहाय्यकारी ठरणारे आहे. म्हणूनच आजच्या बैठकीमध्ये उभय देशातल्या व्दिपक्षीय भागीदारीला ‘स्ट्रॅटेजिक पार्टनरशिप’’- व्यूहरचनात्मक भागिदारीच्या स्तरावर घेऊन जाण्याचा निर्णय राष्ट्राध्यक्ष सिसी आणि मी एकत्रित घेतला आहे. भारत-इजिप्त यांच्यातील धोरणात्मक भागीदारी अंतर्गत , राज, सुरक्षा, आर्थिक आणि वैज्ञानिक क्षेत्रांमध्ये अधिक व्यापक सहयोग करण्यासाठी दीर्घकालीन पायाभूत आराखडा विकसित करायचे आम्ही ठरवले आहे.
अवघ्या जगभरामध्ये होत असलेल्या दहशतवादाच्या प्रसारामुळे भारत आणि इजिप्त चिंतेमध्ये आहेत. आमच्यामध्ये एकमत आहे की, दहशतवाद हा मानवतेच्या सुरक्षेला सर्वात गंभीर धोका निर्माण करत आहे. दोन्ही देश या गोष्टीवर सहमत आहेत की, सीमेपलीकडून होणारा दहशतवाद संपुष्टात आणण्यासाठी ठोस कार्यवाही करणे आवश्यक आहे. आणि यासाठी आम्ही एकत्रितपणे आंतरराष्ट्रीय समुदायाला सावध करण्याचा प्रयत्न करत राहणार आहोत.
आमच्यामध्ये सुरक्षा आणि संरक्षण सहकार्य वाढवण्याच्या क्षेत्रात काम करण्याच्या अपार शक्यता आहेत. गेल्या काही वर्षांमध्ये आमच्या सैन्यदलांमध्ये संयुक्त सराव प्रशिक्षण तसेच क्षमता निर्माण कार्यांमध्ये उल्लेखनीय वृद्धी झाली आहे. आम्ही आजच्या बैठकीमध्ये आपल्या संरक्षण उद्योगांमध्ये सहयोग अधिक मजबूत करणे आणि सीमेपलीकडून होणा-या दहशतवादी कारवायांविषयी सूचना तसेच गुप्तवार्तांचे आदान-प्रदान कार्य वृद्धिगंत करण्याचाही निर्णय घेण्यात आला आहे.
अतिरेकी विचारप्रवाह तसेच कट्टरतावादी विचारांचा प्रसार करण्यासाठी होत असलेला सायबर स्पेसचा दुरूपयोग, या संकटाची व्याप्ती वाढत आहे. याविरूद्धही आम्ही सहयोग वाढवणार आहोत.
मित्रांनो,
कोविड महामारीच्या काळामध्ये आम्ही आरोग्य दक्षता पायाभूत सुविधा निर्माण करणे तसेच वैश्विक पुरवठा साखळीवर जे दुष्परिणाम झाले, ते आपण अगदी जवळून पाहिले, अनुभवले आहेत. राष्ट्राध्यक्ष सिसी आणि मी या आव्हानात्मक काळामध्ये अगदी निकटवर्ती बनून एकमेकांच्या संपर्कामध्ये होतो. आणि दोन्ही देशांनी ज्यावेळी अत्यंत आवश्यकता होती, अशा काळामध्ये एकमेकांना अगदी तात्काळ मदत पाठवली.
आज आम्ही कोविड आणि त्यानंतर उद्भवलेल्या युक्रेन संघर्षामुळे प्रभावित झालेली अन्न आणि वैद्यकीय पुरवठा साखळी, मजबूत करण्याच्या दिशेने व्यापक चर्चा केली आहे. आम्ही या क्षेत्रामध्ये सहकार्याने गुंतवणूक आणि व्यापार वाढवण्याच्या आवश्यकतेवरही सहमत आहोत. आम्ही मिळून असा निर्णय घेतला आहे की, आगामी पाच वर्षांमध्ये आम्ही, आमचा व्दिपक्षीय व्यापार 12 अब्ज डॉलरपर्यंत घेऊन जाणार आहोत.
मित्रांनो,
कॉप-27 चे यशस्वीपणे यजमानपद भूषविणे, आणि हवामान परिवर्तन क्षेत्रामध्ये विकसनशील देशांचे हित सुनिश्चित करण्याच्या प्रयत्नांसाठी, आम्ही इजिप्तचे कौतुक करतो.
संयुक्त राष्ट्र तसेच इतर आंतरराष्ट्रीय आघाड्यांमध्ये भारत आणि इजिप्त यांच्यामध्ये दीर्घकाळापासून आणि अतिशय उत्तम सहयोगाचे नाते राहिले आहे. आंतरराष्ट्रीय समस्या, वाद यावर तोडगे काढण्यासाठी मुत्सेद्देगिरी आणि संवाद साधण्याच्या आवश्यकतेवरही उभय देश सहमत आहेत.
महोदय,
मी पुन्हा एकदा आपले आणि आपल्या प्रतिनिधी मंडळाचे भारतामध्ये मनापासून स्वागत करतो. मी आपल्याला आणि इजिप्तच्या लोकांना नवीन वर्षाच्या शुभेच्छाही देतो.
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.
