PM Narendra Modi invites US firms to invest in India

Amid worsening US-China relations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday invited US businesses to invest in India as the country was on the largest ever infrastructure creation drive and urged Washington to see India’s rise as a rise in trade opportunities with a nation they can trust.

The invitation was extended in a host of other sectors like civil aviation, defence, space, finance and insurance, with Modi saying there were few better partners than the US and India, who could play an important role in helping the world bounce back from the pandemic.

“The rise of India means, a rise in trade opportunities with a nation that you can trust, a rise in global integration with increasing openness, a rise in your competitiveness with access to a market which offers scale. And a rise in returns with the availability of skilled workers,” Modi said addressing a virtual summit by US-India Business Council in a subtle attack on China.

India is emerging as a land of opportunities, the prime minister said citing the rise of internet users in rural India in recent times than in urban India.

Experts however say that internet use in rural India has increased ever since the migrant labourers went back to villages from urban centres.

The Prime minister said there were about half a billion active internet users in India now and an equal number were being connected.

He said the pandemic has taught us to build resilience against external shocks, referring to supply-chain disruptions during the world-wide lockdown.

The prime minister said global economic resilience can be achieved by stronger domestic economic capacities.

“India is contributing towards a prosperous and resilient world through the clarion call of an 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'. And, for that, we await your partnership," he said, adding in a light vein that he was giving advice to US companies, without charging them a consultancy fee.