Indian PM Narendra Modi took to stage at the ‘Howdy Modi’ event at Houston to address a packed audience of 50,000 Indian Americans. The event was also attended by US President Donald Trump, as both the leaders underlined their commitment to a growing friendship between the 2 countries. Modi highlighted the achievements of his government while taking digs at Pakistan, as the audience energetically cheered on.
Crux of the Matter
Amidst rising trade tensions between India and USA in recent months, Modi reignited warm ties with USA by focusing on the commonalities of the two countries and lavishing praise on Trump and his administration.
Modi proudly proclaimed the abrogation of Article 370 as a measure that would help develop Jammu & Kashmir and also root out terrorism from the valley, and further gave a strong message to Pakistan to handle their internal problems.
Modi’s mention of Pakistan being the shelter for masterminds of 9/11 and 26/11 terror attacks resonated with Trump’s comments on the need to fight radical Islamist terrorism.
One of the more memorable moments was Modi saying ‘Everything is fine’ in multiple Indian languages to highlight India’s diversity and to put to rest recent linguistic turmoils regarding Hindi as a national language.
While highlighting his government’s achievements in sanitation, infrastructure, banking and energy, Modi showcased a modernising India as the ideal destination for investors in the age of the Data Revolution.
The rally, telecast live across all Indian news channels, signified the ascendancy of India at the global stage.
Curiopedia
India-USA Relations – At present, India and the US share an extensive and expanding cultural, strategic, military, and economic relationship which is in the phase of implementing confidence building measures to overcome the legacy of trust deficit – brought about by adversarial US foreign policies and multiple instances of technology denial – which have plagued the relationship over several decades. Key recent developments include the rapid growth of India’s economy, closer ties between the Indian and American industries especially in the Information and communications technology, engineering and medical sectors, an informal entente to manage an increasingly assertive China, robust cooperation on counter-terrorism, the deterioration of US-Pakistan relations, easing of export controls over dual-use goods & technologies (99% of licenses applied for are now approved), and reversal of long-standing American opposition to India’s strategic programs. More Info
Curated Coverage
Hindustan Times – PM Modi’s spectacular Houston event delivers multiple messages and one agenda
Livemint – After Modi says ‘Abki bar, Trump sarkar,’ Trump says border security vital to US, India
Livemint – At Howdy Modi, PM says ‘all is well’ in multiple Indian languages, ends Hindi debate
NDTV – Data Is The New Oil, The New Gold, Says PM Modi In Houston
The New York Times – At Rally for India’s Modi, Trump Plays Second Fiddle but a Familiar Tune
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