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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said there could be no “ifs or buts” in dealing with terrorism and sought action against state sponsors of terrorism, in a veiled attack on Pakistan.

Addressing the joint meeting of the US Congress, Prime Minister Modi said that more than two decades after 9/11 and more than a decade after 26/11 in Mumbai, extremism and terrorism remain an urgent threat to the entire world.

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These ideologies continue to take on new identities and forms, but their intentions are the same. Terrorism is an enemy of mankind and there can be no whether to deal with it. Modi said in his 60-minute English speech.

Modi also cryptically referred to China, saying that the world order is based on respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter, peaceful resolution of disputes, and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“Gloomy clouds of coercion and confrontation are casting shadows over the Indo-Pacific,” Modi said, in an apparent reference to China’s aggressive behavior in the strategic region.

“We share the vision of a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific, connected by safe seas, defined by international law, free from hegemony, and anchored on the centrality of ASEAN,” Modi said in his address to the joint meeting of the US Congress. Which was attended by Congressmen and Senators along with hundreds of American Indians who were watching from the visitors’ hall.

The prime minister said a region where all nations, small and large, are free and courageous in their choices, where progress is not stifled by an impossible burden of debt, where connectivity is not tapped for strategic purposes, where all nations are lifted by the rising tide of common prosperity.

“Our vision does not seek containment or exclusion, but rather seeks to build a cooperative region in which peace and prosperity prevail. We work through regional institutions and with our partners from within and outside the region. Among this, the Quartet has emerged as a major force beneficial to the region.

Read more: ‘This is not an age of war’: PM Modi repeats anti-war message in US Congress

Noting that the conflict in Ukraine is causing great pain in the region, Modi said he has said directly and publicly, “This is not an era of war. But it is dialogue and diplomacy.”

Modi, who represents 1.4 billion Indians, said it is always a great honor to address the US Congress and it is an exceptional honor to do so twice. This is the second time the prime minister has addressed the US Congress, the first time being in 2016.

“Now, when our age is at a crossroads,” he said, “I am here to speak of our calling for this century.”

In his speech, Modi said in the past few years, there have been many developments in artificial intelligence and artificial intelligence. At the same time, he added, there have been more significant developments in artificial intelligence — America and India.

We were strangers to defense cooperation at the turn of the century. Now, the US has become one of our most important defense partners,” said Modi, who is currently on his first state visit. His words were warmly welcomed by lawmakers.

Prime Minister Modi addressed a joint meeting of the US Congress in Washington.

Modi said that democracy is one of their sacred and common values.

“It has evolved over a long period, taking different forms and systems. Despite this, one thing has been clear throughout history. Democracy is the spirit that upholds equality and dignity. Democracy is the idea that welcomes debate and discourse,” he said.

Democracy is the culture that gives wings to thought and expression. India has been blessed to have such values ​​since ancient times. He added, “In the development of the democratic spirit, India has become the mother of democracy.”

“We have celebrated a remarkable journey of more than 75 years of freedom, after a thousand years of foreign rule in one form or another,” he said, adding that this was not just a celebration of democracy, but also of diversity.

“Not only from the Constitution, but also from the spirit of social empowerment. Not only from our competitive and cooperative federalism, but also from our fundamental unity and integrity.

“We have had the honor of welcoming over a hundred members of the US Congress to India over the past decade. Everyone wants to understand development, democracy and diversity in India. Everyone wants to know what India is doing right and how it is doing it.

The Prime Minister said when he visited the United States for the first time as Prime Minister, India was the tenth largest economy in the world. Today, India is the fifth largest economy and India will soon be the third largest.

“We are not only growing bigger but also growing faster. When India grows, the whole world grows. After all, we are one-sixth of the world’s population!” he said.

Read more: PM Modi: Top 10 highlights from a landmark speech to the US Congress

Modi said that India is an ancient nation inhabited by youth.

“India is known for its traditions. But the younger generation also makes it a hub for technology. Be it creative reels about lnsta or real-time payments, coding or quantum computing, machine learning or mobile apps, FinTech or data science, the youth of India They are a great example of how society can embrace the latest technology.”

“In India, technology is not just about innovation, but also about inclusion. Today, digital platforms are empowering people’s rights and dignity, while protecting privacy. These remittances have passed $320 billion in value, and we have saved over $25 billion in the process.

Modi told lawmakers that if they visited India, they would see everyone using phones to pay, including street vendors.

“Last year, out of every 100 real-time digital payments in the world, 46 occurred in India. Nearly four hundred thousand miles of fiber optic cable and cheap data have revolutionized the opportunity.

“Farmers check weather updates, seniors get Social Security payments, students get scholarships, doctors provide telemedicine, fishermen check hunting grounds, small businesses get loans, just with a tap on their phone,” he said.

(This story was not edited by the News18 staff and was published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)

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