Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that India “is the new bright spot of hope” for the region and the world and that the country’s progress will help make the Asian dream “a bigger reality”. Addressing the Asian leadership Forum, which was also attended by South Korean President Park Geun-hye, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Sheikha Mozah of the Qatar royal family, Modi said that India’s progress will be an Asian success story. He said India’s annual growth has rebounded to 7.5 per cent and it was poised to grow further.
Modi said: “Asia will succeed more when all of Asia rises together,” adding that the prosperous countries must be prepared to share their resources and markets with those who need them. “Asia must not have two faces, one of hope and prosperity; the other of want and despair. Growth must be more inclusive within and across nations. This is the obligation of national Governments, but also a regional responsibility,” he said.
“This is the principle that guides India’s policies. And, it comes from our timeless belief in the world as one family “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday lauded the Friends of India association in South Korea and underlined the need to find ways to connect people working in field of arts and culture here with those in similar fields in India.
“I find that young generation of Korea is interested in Indian culture, arts and music. We need to find ways by which people working in arts and culture here can remain connected with the similar people in India,” he told the members of the association at a programme here. Ahead of the International Day of Yoga on June 21, Modi asked the Friends of India members to participate in events to mark the 5,000-year-old Indian physical, mental and spiritual practice that aims to transform body and mind. The UN adopted an India-led resolution declaring June 21 as ‘International Day of Yoga’ in December last year, less than three months after Modi proposed the idea.
He stressed on innovation and “frugal manufacturing for affordable renewable energy” to combat climate change. For Asia’s inclusive growth he proposed pooling of innovation and technologies to transform the region’s agriculture. Modi said that by 2025, a majority of Asians will live in cities and India will host around 11 per cent of the global urban population. He said creating livable and sustainable cities of tomorrow should be a collective goal. “That is why in India, I have placed so much emphasis on urban renewal and smart cities. And, there is much that we can learn from cities like Seoul,” he said.
“India is located at Asia’s crossroads. And, we will assume our responsibility to build an inter-connected Asia. We must connect our regions through infrastructure and integrate them through trade and investments,” Modi said.
He said an Asia with its rise will have to take greater responsibility for the world and it must seek a larger role in global affairs. The PM said they must unite to seek reform of global institutions of governance, including the United Nations and its Security Council. “Asia of rivalries will hold us back. Asia of unity will shape the world,” he said.
later, addressing the India-Republic of Korea CEOs Forum, Modi stressed on the ancient Buddhist links of India and South Korea. Praising the spirit of entrepreneurship of the Korean people, Modi said he admired the way in which they have created and sustained their global brands. “We in India want to achieve a lot of what Korea has already done. That is why I, along with a large business delegation, am here. The good news is that India-Korea bilateral trade has risen after the signing of Korea-India CEPA in January 2010,” Modi said.