Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the UN General Assembly in New York on Saturday. (Press Trust of India)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York in Hindi. Mr Modi is on a five-day tour of the US; he will address a gathering at the Madison Square Garden on Sunday and meet President Barack Obama for bilateral meetings.
Here are the highlights of PM Modi's address:
- As India's Prime Minister, it is a great honour to address you for the first time
- I am aware of hopes and aspirations of people of India. I also know what the world expects from the 1.25 billion people of India.
- Every nation has their own philosophy. I am not talking about ideology. This philosophy guides the nation. India's is Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
- Today the flags of 193 nations are flying here. We have achieved a lot in the last decades
- We have firm belief in multilateralism. Our focus is on dignity and opportunity.
- India has always raised its voice for justice, dignity and opportunity
- Our future is linked very closely with our neighbours. That is why from first day we extended hand of friendship to our neighbours.
- Am prepared to engage in serious bilateral dialogue with Pakistan in a peacefuland violence free atmosphere
- It is also upto Pakistan to create the right atmosphere and come forward for bilateral talks
- Terrorism is appearing in new forms and no country - big or small - is free from it
- Good terrorism, bad terrorism raises questions on our sincerity to fight terrorism
- In very important spheres we are seeing new tensions
- Why is it that despite having a wonderful platform like UN we have had to have the various G platforms
- We need to think how to create a G-all atmosphere when UN is about to celebrate its 70 years
- Come let us work towards peace
- We need to respond to the demands of our times. One nation can't dictate the world.
- We have to give full strength to UN peacekeeping
- Basic sanitation is not available to millions of people, nor is electricity and drinking water available
- When we craft agreements on international trade we should accommodate each other's concerns and interests
- When we talk of holistic health care or going back to back to basics, I want to particularly mention Yoga
- Yoga is not merely a form of exercise, we should begin work towards an International Yoga Day
- We (United Nations) will turn 70 next year. We have to ask ourselves - do we wait till we turn 80? No. The next year can be an opportunity.
- Let us fulfill promise to reform the UN Security Council by 2015
- We had offered to help those affected by floods in Pakistan, the way we were helping flood victims in Jammu and Kashmir
- When we hear good terrorism and bad terrorism, then there is a question mark on our intent to fight terrorism
- If we want to fight terrorism, why can't we insist on everyone's participation