PM Modi visited London in 2018 for a bilateral meeting with UK Prime Minister Theresa May; Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in an event called ‘Bharat Ki Baat Sabke Saath’ at the iconic Central Hall Westminster.
The program, which was a live interaction with global audiences, was aimed at connecting with Indians living abroad and showcasing India’s development and achievements. During the program, PM Modi spoke about a range of topics, including India’s response to terrorism, the importance of people power and aspirations in a democracy, and policy initiatives taken by his government to improve the lives of the poor. He also paid homage to Bhagwan Basaveshwara, a 12th-century philosopher in India who is known for his influential teachings.
During an interesting conversation, interviews ask How do you want the world to remember you?, to which PM Modi stated that he doesn’t want to be recognised for his accomplishments or to be perceived as a “superhuman.”
He desires India to be remembered for its ability to aid and inspire other countries and its resilience to overcome difficulties. He said he’s willing to dedicate his life to making India a shining example and that being a leader is no different from any other profession, such as teaching, driving, or farming.
In his address, PM Modi discussed India’s approach to countering terrorism and referenced the 2016 surgical strikes conducted across the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan. He emphasised that India will not tolerate those who like to promote terror and will respond to them “in the language they understand”.
He added that Pakistan was informed about the surgical strike before making the news public in India.
PM Modi also spoke about the importance of people power in a democracy and highlighted several policy initiatives that his government has taken to better the lives of the poor, including the construction of toilets, electricity access and health care. He emphasised that people’s power drives a republic and participative democracy makes good governance possible.
He also touched upon the theme of ‘New India’, how India is becoming increasingly aspirational, and how the world’s attitude towards India and its citizens changed during this time.
The Prime Minister discussed his background, changes in his life, and a visit to the Royal Palace. He talked about how the railway station is a special part of his life as it made him go through the struggles of life and how it taught him so much. He also emphasised that his invitation to Royal Palace is not his success story but the result of the hard work of 1.25 billion Indians.
During his bilateral meeting with UK Prime Minister Theresa May, the leaders discussed the numerous aspects of India-UK relations and the importance of working together to build a more “sustainable, prosperous, secure and fairer future” for all Commonwealth citizens.
They also discussed a new UK-India Tech Partnership, creating thousands of jobs and generating significant investment in their economies. Concerns about economic offenders were also raised and discussed, including the extradition of individuals like Vijay Mallya and Lalit Modi.
The purpose of PM Modi’s speech at the London event was to engage with Indians living abroad and to highlight India’s progress and accomplishments. He discussed India’s strategy for fighting terrorism, the value of the will and aspirations of the populace in a democracy, and the legislative steps his administration had done to better the lot of the underprivileged. He also spoke about his experience and the significance of the UK-India bilateral relationship.
