The centuries-old history and culture of India, majestic architectural monuments and museums of Delhi, Agra and Mumbai have a unique attractive force.

Entire world today is keen to engage with India. And, our diaspora can play a major role in furthering the country's bond with the world. At the same time, it is also necessary for us to connect and strengthen our bond with the diaspora.

Tell me, why is the media here so negative? Why are we in India so embarrassed to recognise our own strengths, our achievements? We are such a great nation. We have so many amazing success stories but we refuse to acknowledge them. Why?

In every sector of India's forward march, I see the U.S. as an indispensable partner. Many of you also believe that a stronger and prosperous India is in America's strategic interest. Let us work together to convert shared ideals into practical cooperation. There can be no doubt that in advancing this relationship, both nations stand to gain in great measure.

By lifting 250 million people out of poverty in India, we have demonstrated that sustainable development can be successful. We are ready to share our experiences of our success with the Global South.

After Independence, Congress ignored the potential of India, which is why even 6-7 decades later, the country could not achieve the success it deserved. There were two main reasons: for a long time, the Congress government kept the country entangled in a 'license raj', and when globalisation arrived, they focused only on imports and even then misappropriated thousands of crores.