WASHINGTON: In his address to the Joint Meeting of the US Congress on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a swipe at Pakistan, saying "no ifs or buts" should be there while dealing with terrorism and asked for action against state sponsors of terrorism.
Prime Minister Modi said that two decades since 9/11 and more than a decade since the 26/11 attack in Mumbai, radicalism and terrorism continued to remain a pressing danger for the whole world.
PM Modi stressed that these ideologies keep on assuming new identities and forms, but their intentions remained the same.
“Terrorism is an enemy of humanity and there can be no ifs or buts in dealing with it. We must overcome all such forces sponsoring and exporting terror," Modi said in his 60-minute address in English.
An innuendo aimed at China was also made by Modi, while saying that the global order rests on the respect for the UN Charter’s principles, resolution of disputes in a peaceble manner, combined with regard for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He said that the stability of the Indo-Pacific region is one of the main concerns of the India-US partnership as coercion and confrontation are casting their shadow in the region, in an apparent reference to China's aggressive manner in this strategic area.
"We share a vision of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific, connected by secure seas, defined by international law, free from domination, and anchored in ASEAN centrality," Modi said in his address to the US Congress. Congressmen and Senators attended the address, while scores of Indian-Americans watched it from the visitors’ gallery.
The PM said he shared a vision not seeking to contain or exclude, but for building a cooperative region of peace and prosperity. He implied the work done with the help of regional institutions and partners from the region and beyond it. He said that Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or QUAD has become a big force working for the good of the region.
He also pointed out that that the war in Ukraine is causing great pain in the region. PM Modi stated his direct and public approach that "this is not an era of war. But, it is one of dialogue and diplomacy."
Modi admitted that addressing the US Congress is always a great honour and termed it an exceptional privilege to have done so twice. The prime minister had earlier addressed the US Congress for the first time in 2016.
"Now, when our era is at a crossroads, I am here to speak about our calling for this century," he said.
In his address, Modi did another of his usual word-play when he talked of advances in AI- Artificial Intelligence in the past few years, and also that there have been even more historic developments in another AI- America and India.
He also said how the two countries were strangers in defence cooperation at turn of the century but the US has now become one of India’s most important defence partners.
Modi also spoke on the shared ideal of democracy, India’s march to modernity and the technical prowess of India’s youthful population.
His words received a standing ovation from the US lawmakers. Modi is on his first state visit to the US, at the invitation of President Joe Biden.
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