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PM praises diaspora's role in Indo-US partnership

PTI | ByEla Dutt, Indo-Asian News Service, Washington
Jul 20, 2005 01:54 PM IST

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has credited Indian Americans with changing India's image in the United States and praised them.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has credited Indian Americans with changing India's image in the United States and praised them as a lynchpin in the strengthening relationship with Washington.

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He also said Tuesday that he believed his trip had laid the groundwork for a new relationship with the US.

Even as he described "a new India in the making: one of world class firms, of a dynamic services sector, of young entrepreneurs and risk takers, of confident professionals and of rising urban and rural income levels," he also dwelt on the millions that needed to be lifted above the poverty line in that country.

In a gathering of nearly 1,500 Indian Americans, especially numerous second generation ones who had come from all over the US, Singh spoke to a crowd of converts whose pride in him and enthusiasm to meet him were apparent when they surged to shake his hand all at once, putting the security service in a dilemma.

The event, hosted at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel by the Indian embassy, engaged scores of Indian American youths to help host the show which began with a traditional but unusual mixture of foods - chaat and bhelpuri besides chicken tikkas, lamb kebabs and biryani.

"I am on a mission to give US leaders an overview of the dramatic changes now taking place in India and our quest for social and economic transformation," said the architect of economic reforms in India.

For the 1.6 million Indian Americans, the Oxford-educated economist prime minister who happens to be a Sikh is a source of affirmation for ideals that best describe the multicultural society from which they originally came and for him to acknowledge the diaspora's contributions to Indian-US relations was a pat in the back they hungrily accepted.

Over the past two days, Singh has impressed Indian Americans here not just because of the glowing welcome their president gave him at the White House but also because of his credentials as a personable economist whose credentials were impeccable and modern regardless of his age.

"The role of the Indian community and Indian Americans in this transformation process is vital," announced Singh. "It is your creativity, knowledge, entrepreneurship and work ethic that has helped to greatly transform the image of India in American minds. No community in American history has achieved as much success in as short a time span as Indian Americans," he maintained.

"From a bridge between two societies, you could become a veritable highway for the flow of ideas, technology and capital," declared the prime minister who generally understates rather than eulogises.

"You embody the knowledge partnership between us, whose broadening will surely make Indo-US ties one of the principal relationships of the world."

Over the last two days, Indian Americans have flooded the capital and been very visible in all events organised for Manmohan Singh, whether by the White House, Congress, or the Indian embassy.

President George W. Bush, Congressional leaders as well as House and Senate members have made it a point to emphasise the contributions made by Indian Americans both to the country and to their own work and image of India.

For their part, Indian Americans have matured over the years to impress their legislators as well as the two major parties with their political aspirations and their specific goals so far as India-US relations are concerned.

Singh's visit saw the culmination of some of these concerted efforts. Singh spoke of how during his meetings on Capitol Hill, legislators extolled Indian Americans.

"I thank you for all you have done individually and together, for India...Through your commitment and efforts, India and Indo-US partnership will grow together," he concluded.

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