When India Grows, World Grows: Key Takeaways From PM Modi's US Congress Address

In a rare honour, Prime Minister Narendra Modi became the first Indian leader to address the joint session of the US Congress twice on Thursday.

He is also just the second global leader, after Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to be granted the honour more than once.

PM Modi's hour-long address to the US Congress evoked multiple standing ovations, applauses, and cheers from American lawmakers in the grand House Chamber at the US Capitol.

What PM Modi said in his address to the US Congress? Key takeaways

• When I first visited the US as Prime Minister, India was the tenth-largest economy in the world. Today, India is the fifth largest economy and India will be the third largest economy soon. "We are not only growing bigger but we are also growing faster. When India grows, the whole world grows. After all, we are one-sixth of the world's population!
• Terrorism is an enemy of humanity and there can be no ifs or buts in dealing with it.
• Giving a voice to the Global South is the way forward.
• This is not an era of war. But, it is one of dialogue and diplomacy.
• Today in modern India, women are leading us to a better future. India's vision is not just of development that benefits women. It is of women-led development where women lead the journey of progress. A woman has risen from a humble tribal background to be our Head of State."
• India is the home to all faiths in the world and we celebrate all of them. In India, diversity is a natural way of life, today the world wants to know more and more about India" said Narendra Modi. "We have over 2,500 political parties. About 20 different parties govern various states of India. We have 22 official languages and thousands of dialects, yet we speak in one voice.
• We live by the motto of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'-the world is one family. Our engagement with the world is for everyone's benefit. The same spirit is also seen in the theme when we chair the G20 Summit, One Earth, One Family, One Future. Last week, all nations joined our proposal at the UN, to build a memorial wall to honour the peacekeepers.
• In the past few years, there have been many advances in AI- Artificial Intelligence. At the same time, there have been even more momentous developments in another AI- America and India.
• Democracy is the culture that gives wings to thought and expression. India is blessed to have such values from times immemorial. In the evolution of the democratic spirit, India is the Mother of Democracy.
• Farmers check weather updates, the elderly get social security payments, students access scholarships, doctors deliver tele-medicine, fishermen check fishing grounds and small businesses get loans, with just a tap on their phones.