Vienna: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the world sees India with great hope and everyone across the globe wants to learn more about the country.
“There is a lot of talk going on about India in the world these days. Everyone wants to know and understand about India… You all have the same experience…? Don’t people ask you about India? In such a situation, what is India thinking? What is India doing? India represents one-sixth of humanity. And in global growth too we almost contribute the same,” he said while addressing the India Community in Vienna.
He said that it was after 41 years, that an Indian Prime Minister got the opportunity to visit Austria. “This long wait has come to an end on a historic occasion. India and Austria are celebrating 75 years of their friendship,” he said.
PM Modi said that India and Austria are geographically on two different ends but have many similarities.
“Democracy connects both countries (India and Austria). Our shared values are liberty, equality, pluralism, and respect for the rule of law. Our societies are multicultural and multilingual. Both countries celebrate diversity, and a big medium to reflect these values are elections,” PM Modi said to the loud cheering of the Indian diaspora.
PM Modi said that in the recently concluded elections in India, around 650 million people exercised their right to vote.
“Despite such a big election, the results of the elections are clear within hours. It is the power of our electoral machinery and democracy,” he said.
He said that India is growing at the rate of 8 per cent. “Today, we are in the 5th position, and soon, we will be in the top 3,” the Prime Minister said.
“I promised the people of my country that I would make India one of the top three economies in the world. We aren’t just working to reach the top position, our mission is 2047,” PM Modi said.
He said both countries have been sharing knowledge and expertise for a long time.
“We didn’t give ‘Yuddha'(war), we gave the world ‘Buddha’. India always gave peace and prosperity, and therefore India is going to strengthen its role in the 21st century,” PM Modi said.
He said that around 200 years ago, Sanskrit was taught at Vienna University. “In 1880, with the establishment of an independent chair for Indology, it got more push,” PM Modi said.
PM Modi added, “I got the opportunity to meet some eminent Indologists, it was quite apparent from their discussions that they had a great interest in India.”
With the address to the Indian diaspora, the Prime Minister has wrapped up his visit to Austria.
–IANS