Prime Minister Narendra Modi Addresses U.S. Congress

[Sky lord]

Take a look at US media coverage . It is all about US/India security ties, "indispensable partner" stuff like that. No emphasis on Pakistan or China relations in this context.

The Indian media is still not used to thinking outside of the South Asia context and on to the wider world stage.

If we had a PM this effective in foreign policy 20 years ago, India would have been in a different class altogether.

Still better late than never!

 

[Levina]

Meaningless IMHO, it is courtesy. What is more important is the content of the speech and I think it was spot on given the audience.

It wasnt boring u knw.
He did add a lil humour to it.
Did u watch it?

 

[Abingdonboy]

There only few concrete tangibles from India other than US building nuke reactors rest of them are just promises.

I'm sorry but have we really got to the point where this nuclear deal is a trivial deal? In the space of just 2 years Modi has implemented the 2008 Indo-US civil nuclear agreement by addressing the nuclear liability issue entirely, something the UPA couldn't do in 6+ years! This in itself is HUGE news but it is being lost by the reporting of India's MTCR and NSG membership ambitions.

This also is not to be overlooked:

the creation of a $20 million U.S.-India Clean Energy Finance (USICEF) initiative, equally supported by the United States and India, which is expected to mobilize up to $400 million to provide clean and renewable electricity to up to 1 million households by 2020;

1 million households being powered by renewable electricity by 2020 through Indo-US partnership.

true, I thought as much, just that I wish the delivery was better.. if you're going to do it, do it proper.

don't mean any of this in any kind of pretentious liberal leftist condescending way btw, but statecraft + stagecraft, like he could work on some of the latter, smooth the edges, attack the corners... IMO he's already a great ambassador and standard-bearer for the nation, so why not ?

It wasn't perfect but it was more than passable IMHO (and I am very critical), his jokes even landed and I think the overall impression was very positive. Whilst I think Modi could clean up his spoken English a little I personally think Indians should take it as a badge of honour that here stands a former "chaiwalla",who hasn't had the elite eduction of 99% of the political class of India or the West, now ruling the largest democracy in the world.

 

[Pumba]

 

[Abingdonboy]

It wasnt boring u knw.
He did add a lil humour to it.
Did u watch it?

I did watch it and I think the humour was very welcome and will leave a more lasting impression on the audience. I also think the context of the jokes were intelligent, it was saying "yes, I know there is a lot of expectation on me when it comes to reforms but I am constrained by the same petty politics that you encounter here" at least that's how I read it.

 

[Levina]

I did watch it and I think the humour was very welcome and will leave a more lasting impression on the audience. I also think the context of the jokes were intelligent, it was saying "yes, I know there is a lot of expectation on me when it comes to reforms but I am tied by the same petty politics that you encounter here" at least that's how I read it.

Yes, that was a very smart way of putting the blame on opposition.lol
Then there were other hints he dropped without naming the countries, as LeT was mentioned. Hehe

Whilst I think Modi could clean up his spoken English a little I personally think Indians should take it as a badge of honour that here stands a former "chaiwalla" who hasn't had the elite eduction of 99% of the political class of India or the West

Yes, a chaiwalah made it this far.
Somehow I am fine with his English.
English isn't our mother tongue.
I'm sure Modi is better than ABE and XI Jinping.

@Dash i wanted to tell this to you too.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Then there were other hints he dropped without naming the countries, as LeT was mentioned. Hehe

Just as it should be, such people aren't even worth mentioning. This speech was about proclaiming India's arrival on the world stage and not about such irritants.

 

[Levina]

Just as it should be, such people aren't even worth mentioning. This speech was about proclaiming India's arrival on the world stage and not about such irritants.

I had posted a good news on my profile n tagged u in it. Bt I guess u missed it.

 

[Abingdonboy]

I had posted a good news on my profile n tagged u in it. Bt I guess u missed it.

I'm not sure what news it was because I can't see where I have been tagged on your profile


But I saw this and nearly spat my drink out:

majority of Indians Hv diabetes compared to Pakistanis ergo Indians r sweeter than Pakistanis.:p

 

[Laozi]

Indian PM Charms US Lawmakers With Humor


Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker Paul Ryan laugh as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a joint meeting of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, June 8, 2016



Michael Bowman
June 08, 2016 3:32 PM

CAPITOL HILL—
As leader of a nation beset with sectarian, religious and ethnic divisions, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought common understanding with U.S. lawmakers through humor.

“I’m informed that the working of the U.S. Congress is harmonious. I am also told that you are well-known for your bipartisanship,” Modi said to hearty laughter followed by applause, addressing a joint meeting of Congress Wednesday.

“Well, you are not alone. Time and again, I also witness a similar spirit in the Indian Parliament,” he added with playful sarcasm. “As you can see, we have many shared practices.”

http://www.voanews.com/content/indian-prime-minister-charms-us-lawmakers-with-humor/3367772.html

 

[jetray]

Indo-US civil nuclear agreement by addressing the nuclear liability issue entirely,

Nuclear liability was a sell out, pay $500 million and walk out in case of accident? A tad better than Union carbide.
Indians backed off on IPR. US still regards Indian market as totally closed and wants to cut all agricultural subsidies.

They are now where treating India as they would like japan.

1 million households being powered by renewable electricity by 2020 through Indo-US partnership.

Common there is nothing much here, we can do it ourself. Another 4 years we will have bigger economy and more power producing capacity.


Though I agree on NSG and MTCR but US is losing nothing over there. Thats the catch, we should not sell out our core interest. We can sell out on say afghanistan/myanmar or some trade forum treaty but self interest nope.

Did they ever stop charging less for H1b visas or have totalization agreement or did they give preferential treatment to Indian goods.

 

[Abingdonboy]

 

[kadamba-warrior]

Indian PM Charms US Lawmakers With Humor


Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker Paul Ryan laugh as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a joint meeting of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, June 8, 2016



Michael Bowman
June 08, 2016 3:32 PM

CAPITOL HILL—
As leader of a nation beset with sectarian, religious and ethnic divisions, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought common understanding with U.S. lawmakers through humor.

“I’m informed that the working of the U.S. Congress is harmonious. I am also told that you are well-known for your bipartisanship,” Modi said to hearty laughter followed by applause, addressing a joint meeting of Congress Wednesday.

“Well, you are not alone. Time and again, I also witness a similar spirit in the Indian Parliament,” he added with playful sarcasm. “As you can see, we have many shared practices.”

http://www.voanews.com/content/indian-prime-minister-charms-us-lawmakers-with-humor/3367772.html

That was a perfectly timed and very apt humor! Just another attempt to tell them that we both are not very different in the way our functioning (read chaotic) democracies work.

 

[Post Colonnial]

Hindi mein deni thi, yaar, for two reasons.. ek, ki bandey ki english tight hai, and do, ki promote Hindi

Shinzo Abe, Xi Jinping, Hollande, Merkel, Putin.. you name it, they all go local language when dealing with foreigners, spl when giving a speech, I'm sure the negotiations were all with an interpreter, though.

anyway, kudos to pradhan mantri ji, this guy has supercharged Indian foreign policy, deal making on steroids, love it and huge respect

I also used to think that ...BUT so what? The audience understands English, hi heavily accented but a type of accent that is certainly understandable for Americans. I was more impressed that he did not seem to refer notes.

Take a look at US media coverage . It is all about US/India security ties, "indispensable partner" stuff like that. No emphasis on Pakistan or China relations in this context.

The Indian media is still not used to thinking outside of the South Asia context and on to the wider world stage.

If we had a PM this effective in foreign policy 20 years ago, India would have been in a different class altogether.

Still better late than never!

this is true. The strong ties between development economics, foreign relations and defense has finally manifested for India.

 

[Levina]

I'm not sure what news it was because I can't see where I have been tagged on your profile


But I saw this and nearly spat my drink out:

majority of Indians Hv diabetes compared to Pakistanis ergo Indians r sweeter than Pakistanis.:p

I had tagged you on a status where I had shared the link to Ferrari roller coaster. I guess u didn't receive the notification. Never mind!
I will repost it at Yusuf's place.