India not confined to its territory: Modi

Kuala Lumpur, Nov 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said India is not confined to its territory but exists in every Indian all over the world.

"India is not confined to its territory. India exists in every Indian in every part of the world," he said as he made his by-now trademark address to the Indian diaspora on the second day of his visit to Malaysia.

As over 15,000 people of Indian origin chanted "Modi, Modi" at the Malaysian International Exhibition and Convention Centre here, the prime minister acknowledged the large proportion of people of Tamil majority among the Indian diaspora in this southeast Asian nation by starting with the greeting, "Vanakkam".

"Love and friendship of Malay Indians has always had a special place in my heart," he said.

"Your love for India has not reduced. I see this in colour of your festivals, the strings on the music," he added.

A cultural extravaganza showcasing the best of Indian and Malaysian talent preceded Modi's speech.

The event was organised by the Welcome Partners, comprising Indian expatriates and around 90 cultural and community organisations from across the country.

Of the nearly 30 million population of Malaysia, around two million people are of Indian origin.

Modi, who reached Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, attended the 13th Asean-India Summit and the 10th East Asia Summit.

IANS