Self-reliant and peaceful India ensures a better world: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday delivered the keynote address to the third leadership summit of US India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF).

"A self-reliant and peaceful India ensures a greater world. Aatma Nirbhar Bharat is about transforming India from being just a passive market to an active manufacturing hub and the heart of global value chains. Friends, the road further ahead is full of opportunities. These opportunities are in the public and private sector," PM Modi said.

Urging the foreign investors to invest in India, PM Modi added that India is a favourable destination to invest and the country has received over $20 billion of foreign investment this year. He also mentioned that FDI into India rose by 20 per cent in 2019, which shows the success of India’s FDI regime.

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"India, a country with 1.3 billion people and limited resources, has one of the lowest death rates per million in the world. The recovery rate is also steadily rising," he said, about the global coronavirus pandemic.

"The pandemic has impacted several things but it has not impacted the aspirations and of ambitions of 1.3 billion Indians. In recent months, there have been far reaching reforms. These are making business easier and red-tapism lesser."

"For challenges in India, you have a govt that believes in delivering results, for which ease of living is as important as ease of doing business. You are looking at a young country with 65% population less than 35 years old," he said.

"When 2020 began, did anyone imagine how it would pan out?" PM Modi said, noting the impact the virus had on the world. "It's testing our resilience, public health system and economic system," he added, noting that India had among the lowest death rates from the virus in the world.

"We were among the first to advocate the use of masks and face coverings as a public health measure. We were also among hte earliest to create public awareness campaigns about social distancing," he said.

(With iputs from agencies)