In a joint press conference with US President Joe Biden in Washington on Wednesday, Indian PM Narendra Modi proclaimed that “Democracy is in [India’s] DNA. Democracy is our spirit. Democracy runs in our veins. We live in a democracy.”
Modi on Situation of Muslims, Minorities in India
Modi stated that the notion of Indian democracy was conceptualised by the country’s ancestral figures, and consequently, enshrined in the constitution to uphold the conviction.
During the joint press conference, Modi was questioned on democracy and human rights, as well as discrimination against Muslims and other religious minorities and India’s crackdown on dissent.
In response, the Indian PM defended the idea of democracy in India, stating, “If there are no human values, no humanity, and no human rights, then it’s not a democracy.”
“When you say democracy and you accept democracy, and when we live democracy, then there is absolutely no space for discrimination,” he added.
“[Regarding] India’s democratic values, there’s absolutely no discrimination either on the basis of caste, creed, or age, or any kind of geographic location,” Modi remarked.
VIDEO | “There is no discrimination in India’s democracy on basis of race, religion or age,” says PM Modi during joint press briefing with US President Joe Biden at the White House. pic.twitter.com/kfShi0NyX6
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 22, 2023
Modi on Climate Change
Modi addressed the issue of climate change by saying, “The environment, climate is extremely important in [India’s] cultural traditions. For us, the environment is an article of faith. This is not just something that we need to do for convenience; we believe this.”
“We do not believe in the exploitation of nature. In order for all of creation to work, we can make nature — but we cannot exploit nature, and we have always believed this,” he remarked.
The Indian PM pointed out that India is the only country that fulfilled promises made by the G20 countries in Paris.
Modi commented on the solar energy domain, saying, “in Glasgow, we had set ourselves a target to achieve 500 gigawatts of renewable energy. By 2030, we have set ourselves a target to make Indian railways net zero.”
He added that “The International Solar Alliance (ISA) has been launched by India, and many countries have joined it and are working with India.” The Indian PM also talked about the CDRI Global Organisation for building a robust infrastructure for safety during natural calamities.
Additionally, Modi said he recently launched ‘Mission LiFE’ with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. He discussed the idea of LiFE, which means ‘Lifestyle for the Environment.’ Accordingly, he said, “Therefore, every individual must live in a pro-environment, pro-development way. And we are working towards this.”
Modi on Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Modi claimed that “The COVID pandemic and the Ukraine conflict have afflicted the countries of the Global South in particular. We believe that in order to resolve these problems, it is absolutely imperative for all countries to unite.”
He added, “From the very beginning of the events in Ukraine, India has emphasised resolving disputes through dialogue and diplomacy. We are completely ready to contribute in any way we can to restore peace.”
‘Our economic relationship is booming’, says #JoeBiden in joint statement with PM Modi#ModiStateVisit #NamosteAmerica #WhiteHouse | @gauravcsawant pic.twitter.com/bewVZ5rw1Q
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) June 22, 2023
Biden on US-India Relations
During his address at the joint press conference, Biden commented on India-US relations, saying that both countries touched upon different areas of collaboration ranging from “designing new ways to diagnose and treat illnesses like cancer and diabetes; to collaborating on human spaceflight including sending an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station in 2024; to accelerate the global clean energy transition and tackling the climate crisis.”
The US President claimed that the economic relationship between both countries is “booming,” adding that, over the last decade, trade between the two countries has almost doubled to more than $191 billion, supporting tens of thousands of job opportunities in India and the US.
“Indians and Americans are both peoples who innovate and create, turn obstacles into opportunities, who find strength in community and family, and who cherish freedom and celebrate the democratic values of universal human rights, which face challenges around the world,” Biden affirmed.