Updated: September 3, 2020 10:03:37 pm
Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a keynote address at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum. (Source: Narendra Modi / YouTube)
Addressing the third leadership summit of the US Strategic and Partnership Forum in India (USISPF), Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday underscored the low death rate from Covid in the country and attributed it to the efforts of the country to deal with the pandemic, including being the first to advocate for mandatory face coverings. and social distancing.
“The country, with 1.3 billion people and limited resources, has one of the lowest death rates per million in the world. The recovery rate is also constantly increasing, ”Modi said. “When 2020 started, did anyone imagine how it would develop? A global pandemic has impacted everyone. It is testing our resilience, our public health system, and our economic system. The current situation requires a fresh mindset in which the development approach is human-centered, ”he added.
In recounting the “opportunities” the country has to offer in the public and private sectors, Modi praised India as a country with a “commitment to democracy and diversity.”
“The road ahead is full of opportunities in the public and private sectors. They cover the basic economic sectors as well as the social sectors. Recent sectors that have been opened include coal, mining, railways, defense, space and nuclear power, ”he said.
Speaking about US-Indian relations in the current challenging environment, Modi said that the country of 1.3 billion people has embarked on a mission: to make an ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ or a self-sufficient India. “” It guarantees that the strength of India acts as a global force multiplier. Time and time again, India has shown that our goal is world good, “he said.
“The pandemic has impacted several things but it has not impacted the aspirations and ambitions of 1.3 billion Indians. In recent months, far-reaching reforms have been carried out. These are facilitating business and reducing the red carpet, ”said the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister also spoke about the country offering a transparent and predictable tax regime in the form of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). “Our GST is a unified, fully IT-enabled indirect tax system,” he said, adding that labor reforms in the country “will reduce the burden of compliance for employers and also provide social security protection for workers.”
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, S Jaishankar, the Minister of Railways and the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, and the Chief of Defense Staff, Bipin Rawat, have already addressed the virtual summit on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday , respectively.
Speaking today in the interactive online session, Rawat referred to the raids of China in Ladakh and said the country’s armed forces are capable of handling China’s aggressive actions in the “best proper way.” “Lately India has been seeing some aggressive actions from China, but we are able to handle them in the best possible way,” Rawat said according to PTI.
On Tuesday, the Minister of the Union Piyush Goyal said both India and the United States have solved “most” of the problems and are now exploring the option of signing a limited trade pact before the US presidential election in November.
With the attendance of top corporate leaders, government officials and leaders, the summit highlights areas of bilateral cooperation: trade and investment; strategic energy ties; India’s position in global supply chains, fintech collaboration, healthcare and technology.
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