Today India wants the best, the fastest: PM Modi to diaspora in Netherlands

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that India is undergoing an unprecedented transformation and its aspirations are “no longer limited to its borders”. He further termed the country a 'land of opportunities'.

Modi was addressing the Indian community in The Hague. He also said that India is dreaming big and its youth aspires to reach the sky.

"Today India is saying we don't just want transformation, we want the best, we want the fastest. That is why when there are unlimited aspirations in India, the efforts are also becoming limitless," he said in his over 40-minute speech, amid applause from the audience.

"Today’s India is going through a phase of unprecedented transformation,” the prime minister said. “You must have seen recently that India hosted the world’s largest and most successful AI Summit. Before that, India also successfully hosted the G20 Summit. And this was not a one-time event. This has now become the character of today’s India.” Modi praised India's start-up ecosystem, saying India has the third-largest start-up network in the world.

"India’s aspirations today are no longer limited to its borders. India wants to host the Olympics, become a global manufacturing hub, emerge as a leader in green energy, and become the growth engine of the world," the prime minister said.

Recalling that in 2014, India had only four unicorns, Modi said India has nearly 125 active unicorns now. "Today, our startups are doing remarkable work in AI, defence, and the space sector. This culture of research and innovation is becoming even more expansive," he added.

He said that India's aspiration-driven journey is also strengthening its democracy, as he mentioned the recently held assembly elections in multiple states.

"This time, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry witnessed nearly 80–90 per cent voter turnout. Women’s participation also increased significantly, and this trend is visible across every state. Today, voters in India are enthusiastic. We feel proud that voting records are being broken every year," he said.

Modi also took a jibe at the opposition parties, asking the audience if the popular snack Jhalmuri has reached The Hague as well.

Underlining that the Netherlands is known for tulips, Modi added that India is known for the lotus. "Both the tulip and the lotus teach us that whether the roots are in water or in the earth, one gains both beauty and strength," he said.

Modi said India and the Netherlands can coordinate in the international arena and work on securing global projects.

Modi also said that many cultures have vanished over time. But India's diverse culture still beats in the hearts of its people. "Generations have changed, countries have changed, environments have changed... but the family values have not changed," the PM said.

Referring to the COVID pandemic and global conflicts, Modi said that this decade is becoming a decade of challenges for the world. "If these situations are not changed rapidly, the achievements of the past many decades will be washed away," he warned.

Modi arrived in the Netherlands on Friday on the second leg of his five-nation tour to further deepen bilateral cooperation in areas such as trade, technology, defence and renewable energy.

(With PTI inputs)