Prime Minister Modi’s Keynote Address on ‘Navigating New Challenges’ at USISP’s 3rd Annual Leadership Summit
Noting that the current situation calls for a new human-centered mindset, Modi said India did the same by expanding its healthcare facilities in record time to deal with the pandemic.
- News18.com New Delhi
- Last update: September 4, 2020 1:09 AM IST
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that 1.3 billion Indians have embarked on a mission: to create an “Atmanirbhar Bharat,” which seeks to merge the local with the global and ensure that the country’s strengths act as a global force multiplier.
“Time and time again, India has shown that our goal is the global good,” Modi said in his special keynote address at the third leadership summit of the United States-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) via video conference. .
Modi said that ‘Atamanirbhar Bharat’ is about transforming India from a passive market to an active manufacturing hub at the heart of global value chains. “The road ahead is full of opportunities. These opportunities are in the public and private sectors. They cover the central economic sectors, as well as the social sectors,” he said.
Placing India among the best investment destinations worldwide, Modi said the country’s political stability and policy continuity make it the best place for global investors seeking attractive business opportunities during the COVID-pandemic. 19. He also said that India was one of the first nations to create a responsive lockdown system and advocate for the use of masks and face coverings as a public health measure while improving its health infrastructure.
In record time, Modi said, the medical infrastructure was expanded, including for COVID-19 hospitals and ICU capabilities, while increasing its test lab count from just one in January to nearly 1,600. The result of these efforts has been that a country with 130 million rupees of people and limited resources has proven to have one of the lowest death rates per million in the world and also a steadily increasing recovery rate, he said.
Modi said the pandemic has also shown the world that the decision on developing global supply chains must be based not only on costs but also on trust.
“Along with the affordability of geography, companies are now also looking for reliability and political stability. India is the place that has all these qualities,” he said. “It is a government, for which ease of living is as important as ease of doing business.”
Modi cited a series of reforms that have made India one of the lowest tax rate destinations with an added incentive for new manufacturing units and stated that the country is committed to democracy and diversity that, he said, investors are looking. Modi said his government’s reforms have made business easier and reduced red carpet.
Work is underway on the world’s largest housing program with renewable energy infrastructure and is boosting rail, road and air connectivity, he said. “Our country is creating a unique digital model to build a national digital health mission. We are using the best of financial technology to bring banking, credit, digital payments and insurance to millions. All of these initiatives are being taken using world-class technology. and global best practices, “he said.
Noting that the current situation calls for a new human-centered mindset with a spirit of cooperation among all, Modi said that India did the same by expanding its healthcare facilities in record time to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. . He also said that India was one of the first globally to advocate for face masks and coverings as a public health measure and also among the first to create a public campaign on social distancing.
Modi said his government launched one of the largest support programs for the poor globally following the COVID-19 outbreak in the form of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojna, under which free food grains have been provided to more than 80 crore of people.
The pandemic has affected several things, but it has not affected the aspirations and ambitions of 130 crore Indians, he said, noting that India is becoming one of the main attractions for foreign investment.
“Whether in the United States or in the Gulf, in Europe or Australia, the world believes in us. We have received more than $ 20 billion in foreign investment flows this year. Google, Amazon and Mubadala Investments have announced plans to long term for India. ” he said.
The road ahead is filled with opportunities in the public and private sectors, including economic and social, Modi said, citing examples from coal, mining, railways, defense, space and atomic energy among which have opened up even more.
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