PM Modi speaks at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the Indian community in France, said today that the huge mandate he won for a second term was not just for a government but for a "new India" where corruption, nepotism, loot of public money and terrorism were being reined in like never before.
"India is racing ahead not because of Modi... it is because of the stamp of approval that the people of India have given in the form of their vote," PM Modi said to a large gathering at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.
"Inspired by 'spasht niti, sahi disha', we are taking one decision after another," he said, to chants of "Modi, Modi" and "Modi hai to mumkin hai (with Modi, everything is possible)".
PM Modi said his new government had been in place for only 75 days, not even 100 days, but "already you have seen the bold decisions".
"Mind you, the first 50-75 days are generally taken to plan things and receive greetings and congratulatory calls, but you all can see the intent of the government of the day... And that India means business," said the PM.
He appeared to make a reference to the government's decision to end special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 as he said: "There is no place for temporary in India. You would have seen that a country of 1.25 billion people, the land of Mahatma Gandhi, Gautam Buddha, Ram, Krishna, took 70 years to remove what was temporary... I don't know whether to laugh or cry...Reform, perform, and transform and with permanent systems, the country is moving forward to achieve its goal."
Earlier in the function, PM Modi launched a memorial for the victims of two Air India crashes at the foothills of the Mont Blanc mountain in France in which several Indians, including renowned nuclear physicist Homi J Bhabha, were killed.
PM Modi also used football to demonstrate the bond between the two nations. "When France won the World Cup, football fans in India were excited and happy for France's victory. In fact, I think the number of football fans for France is more in India than in France," PM Modi said to a huge applause.
PM Modi is on a three-nation visit till Monday. He travels from France to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain before returning to Paris for the G7 Summit.