Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a joint sitting of the US Congress on Thursday amid frequent claps, standing ovations and ‘Modi, Modi’ chants. This was his second address to the US Congress, a first for an Indian prime minister, and a rare honour that placed him in the league of Nelson Mandela and Winston Churchil. PM Modi’s first address was in June 2016.

“It is always a great honour to address the US Congress and it is an exceptional privilege to do so twice,” PM Modi said. His speech focussed on ties with the US, Indian-Americans, climate change and Ukraine among other things.

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PM Modi is on a three-day visit to the United States. He received a rousing welcome from the expat Indians upon his arrival. The PM met with Nobel laureates, industry leaders, authors, academicians, mathematicians and medical professionals.

Top quotes from PM Modi’s US Congress address

  • A lot has changed in the past seven years, but the commitment to deepen friendship between India and the US remains the same. In the era of AI, another AI (America-India) has seen even more momentous developments.
  • There are millions here, who have roots in India. Some of them sit proudly in this chamber. There is one behind me (Vice-President Kamala Harris), who has made history. I am told that the Samosa Caucus is now the flavour of the House.
  • When I first visited the US as prime minister, India was the 10th largest economy in the world. Today, India is the 5th largest economy. India will be the 3rd largest economy soon. When India grows, the whole world grows.
  • India’s vision is not just of development that benefits women. It is of women-led development, where women lead the journey of progress. We are focusing on infrastructure development. We have given nearly forty million homes that provide shelter to over hundred and fifty million people. That is nearly six times the population of Australia.

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  • Democracy is one of our sacred and shared values. It has evolved over a long time, and taken various forms and systems. Throughout history, however, one thing has been clear. Democracy is the spirit that supports equality and dignity.
  • With the Ukraine conflict, war has returned to Europe. It is causing great pain in the region. Since it involves major powers, the consequences are severe. As I have said, this is not an era of war. It is the era of dialogue and diplomacy.
  • More than two decades after 9/11 and more than a decade after 26/11 in Mumbai, radicalism and terrorism still remain a pressing danger for the world. These ideologies keep taking new identities and their intentions are the same. Terrorism is an enemy of humanity and there can be no ifs and buts in dealing with it.
  • As we emerge from the pandemic, we must give shape to a new world order. That is why I firmly believe that the African Union should be given full membership of G20. We must revive multilateralism and reform multilateral institutions. When the world has changed, we must change too.
  • When I was here in 2016, I had said that our relationship is prime for a momentous future. That future is today.