Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the world listens to India today and the country, because of its heritage, is able to tell the international community that the future lies not in ‘war’ but in ‘Buddha’.
Addressing the ’18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas-2025′ conference organized in Bhubaneswar, Modi said that India is not only the mother of democracy but democracy is a part of our life.
He said that today the world listens to India, which not only expresses its own views but also presents the views of the ‘Global South’.
The term ‘Global South’ is generally used to refer to economically less developed countries.
“It is because of the strength of its heritage that India is able to tell the world that the future lies not in ‘war’ but in ‘Buddha’ (peace),” Modi said.
“We consider it our responsibility to help our expatriate community in times of crisis, wherever they are,” he said.
The Prime Minister said that NRIs played an important role in India’s independence in 1947 and now the aim is to develop the country by 2047. He called for help from the overseas Indian community in this goal.
He said that India is not only a young country but also a country of skilled youth.
Referring to the demand for skilled workers across the world, Modi said, “The government is trying to ensure that whenever Indian youth go abroad, they take skills with them.”
Referring to the successful G-20 conference held in India, he said that G-20 meetings were organized in different parts of India to give the world a first-hand experience of the diversity of the country.
He said, “We do not need to learn diversity because our life is full of diversity.”
Praising the contribution of the overseas Indian community to India’s development, the Prime Minister said, “I have always considered the overseas community to be the ambassadors of India.”
He said that India is now known as ‘Vishwa Bandhu’, it needs to be further strengthened.
The Prime Minister reached Janata Maidan here on Thursday to inaugurate the ’18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas-2025′.
Officials said that during this period he will also inaugurate four exhibitions. After this he will visit the exhibitions and publicity stalls of the central and state ministries and departments.
The 18th edition of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is being jointly organized by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Government of Odisha from January 8 to 10. The theme of the conference is ‘Contribution of Overseas Indians to Developed India’.
Apart from formally inaugurating the conference, the Prime Minister also flagged off the Pravasi Bharatiya Express via remote. This service, departing from Nizamuddin Railway Station in Delhi, is a special tourist train for Indian expatriates which will take them to many tourist and religious places of India for three weeks.
