The texts of speeches and remarks, delivered by President Barack Obama and the First Lady

at Mumbai and Delhi, during their recent visit to India, November 6-9, 2010.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary
Remarks by the President in Toast at State Dinner in New Delhi, India
Rashtrapati Bhavan
New Delhi, India
9:05 P.M. IST
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Madam President, thank you for your very gracious words and for the
example of your leadership that inspires so many women, as well as men, across this
nation. I was observing that one of the reasons I think India is doing so well is because it
has so many strong women leaders. (Applause.) I want to thank you and Dr. Shekhawat for
hosting us this evening, and your extraordinary hospitality.
To our dear friends, Prime Minister Singh and Mrs. Kour; to distinguished guests; ladies and
gentlemen. On behalf of Michelle and I, we just want to thank you for this extraordinary
expression of friendship between our two nations.
I've done a lot of speaking today, so I want to be relatively brief. We've learned several
things from this trip in India. We've learned that despite geographic distances between our
nations, we are now closer than ever before. We've learned that although we may have
traveled different paths to reach this moment in history, that we can walk towards the future
together. We've also learned that no matter how hard I try, Michelle will always be a better
dancer. (Laughter.)
Let me say it’s been a particular pleasure to be here during Diwali. And last year during the
state visit when Prime Minister Singh and Ms. Kour came, it was during our Thanksgiving
season. And the fact that we can share some of our most meaningful holidays with each
other speaks to the closeness of our countries and the values that we share as well as the
common hopes for the future.
To my good friend and partner, Prime Minister Singh, from humble beginnings to high office,
your life reflects all the progress and possibility of this great nation. And so all of us thank
you not only for leading this nation and our partnership to new heights, but for the spirit with
which you’ve led your life -- with compassion, truth, commitment, humility and love.
And to all who are gathered here tonight, and to the people of India, for the past three days
you’ve opened your country to us. Like so many before, we learned that you don't simply
visit India, you experience India -- in the richness of its traditions, in its diversity, the
optimism and the warmth of its people.
From extraordinarily difficult circumstances, India has achieved what many thought was
impossible. And in doing so, you captured the imagination of the world. Now our two
nations have a chance to do what many also thought was impossible, and that is to build a
global partnership in a new century.
And so I'd like to close with the words that your President spoke in this building on the day
that India declared itself a republic -- words describing how this diverse nation has stayed
united and strong and because they speak to the spirit that binds our two countries together
as well.
I propose a toast, knowing that our ties subsist because they are not of iron or steel or even
of gold, but of the silken cords of the human spirit. Cheers.
(A toast is offered.)
END
9:09 P.M. IST

Remarks by the President to U.S.-India Business Council and Entrepreneurship

Summit
5:43 P.M. IST
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. (Applause.) Please, everyone be seated. Good
afternoon, everyone. Namaste. Thank you all for an extraordinarily warm welcome. And
before I get started, I just want to acknowledge some outstanding public servants, some
wonderful dignitaries who are in the room. Anand Sharma, our Commerce and Industry
Minister here in India. (Applause.) Khurshid Salman, the Minister of Corporate Affairs and
Minority Affairs, who’s here. (Applause.) Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, State Planning
Commission Deputy Chairman. (Applause.) Gary Locke, who is the Secretary of Commerce
for the United States. (Applause.) Terry McGraw, the chairman of the U.S.-India Business
Council. (Applause.) Hari Bhartia, the president of the Confederation of Indian Industries.
(Applause.) And Rajan Bharti Mittal, president of the Federation of Indian Chambers of
Commerce and Industry. (Applause.)
On behalf of my wife Michelle and myself, thank you to the people of Mumbai and the
people India for the incredible hospitality you have already shown just in the few hours since
I've arrived in this magnificent country.
We are especially honored to be here as you celebrate Diwali. (Applause.) Some of you
may know this. Last year, I was honored to become the first American President to help
celebrate the Festival of Lights in the White House. (Applause.) And I know that today,
families are lighting their Diyas and giving thanks for their blessings and looking ahead to
the new year. So to all of you who are observing this sacred holiday here and around the
world, Happy Diwali and a Saal Mubarak. (Applause.)
I want to thank all the organizations that have brought us together today, as well as the
business leaders, the CEOs, the government officials who have joined us here in Mumbai. I
just had some incredibly productive discussions with American business leaders and Indian
entrepreneurs, and today I want to speak with you about why we all benefit from the
strengthening ties between our nations.
This is my first trip to India, but this will be my longest visit to another country since
becoming President. (Applause.) And that’s because I believe that the relationship between
the United States and India will be one of the defining and indispensable partnerships of the
21st century.
Our nations are the two largest democracies on Earth. We are bound by a common
language and common values; shared aspirations and a shared belief that opportunity
should be limited only by how hard you’re willing to work, only by how hard you are willing
to try. Trade and commerce between our people has been happening for centuries -- even
before we were independent nations. Indian immigrants crossed oceans to work on farms in
the United States, and later generations came to practice medicine, and do cutting-edge
research, and to start businesses. American researchers, in turn, partnered with Indian
scientists to launch the Green Revolution that transformed life for generations of Indians.
Americans have helped build India, and India has helped to build America.
Today, your country is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. And while
there are many amazing success stories and rapidly expanding markets in Asia, the sheer
size and pace of India’s progress in just two decades is one of the most stunning
achievements in human history. (Applause.) This is a fact. Since your reform of the
licensing raj and embrace of the global economy, India has lifted tens of millions of people
from poverty and created one of the largest middle classes on the planet.
You are now a nation of rapid growth and rising incomes and massive investments in
infrastructure and energy and education. In the coming decades, you will be the world’s
most populous nation, with the largest workforce and one of the largest economies in the
world. Now, undoubtedly, that means that the United States and India will engage in a
healthy competition for markets and jobs and industries of the future. But it also offers the
prospect of expanded commercial ties that strongly benefit both countries.
The United States sees Asia -– and especially India -– as a market of the future. We
don’t simply welcome your rise -– as a nation, and a people -- we ardently support it. We
want to invest in it. And I’m here because I believe that in our interconnected world,
increased commerce between the United States and India can be and will be a win-win
proposition for both nations. (Applause.)
I realize that for some, this truth may not be readily apparent. I want to be honest.
There are many Americans whose only experience with trade and globalization has been a
shuttered factory or a job that was shipped overseas. And there still exists a caricature of
India as a land of call centers and back offices that cost American jobs. That's a real
perception. Here in India, I know that many still see the arrival of American companies and
products as a threat to small shopkeepers and to India’s ancient and proud culture.
But these old stereotypes, these old concerns ignore today’s reality: In 2010, trade
between our countries is not just a one-way street of American jobs and companies moving
to India. It is a dynamic, two-way relationship that is creating jobs, growth, and higher living
standards in both our countries. And that is the truth. (Applause.)
As we look to India today, the United States sees an opportunity to sell our exports in
one of the fastest-growing markets in the world. For America, this is a jobs strategy. As we
recover from this recession, we are determined to rebuild our economy on a new, stronger
foundation for growth. And part of that foundation involves doing what America has always
been known for: discovering and creating and building the products that are sold all over
the world. That’s why I’ve set a goal of doubling America’s exports over the next five years
-– because for every $1 billion in exports, thousands of jobs are supported at home.
And already, our exports to India have quadrupled in recent years -– growing much
faster than our exports to many other countries. The goods we sell in this country currently
support tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs across the United States -– from California
and Washington to Pennsylvania and Florida. And that doesn’t even include all the
American jobs supported by our other exports to India -– from agriculture to travel to
educational services.
As we speak, American-made machinery is helping India improve its infrastructure,
including the new airport here in Mumbai where I landed this morning. This year, there was
a new sight on India’s highways -– American-made Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
(Laughter.) A growing number of American-made aircraft are taking flight in your skies. And
soon, there will be more.
That’s because today, just moments before I arrived here, several landmark deals were
sealed between the United States and India. Boeing, one of America’s largest companies, is
on track to sell India dozens of commercial and cargo aircraft. General Electric, another
American company, will sell more than a hundred advanced jet engines. And I’m pleased
that two U.S. firms are finalists for a major locomotive tender. Now, these are just a few of
the more than 20 deals being announced today, totaling nearly $10 billion in U.S. exports.
(Applause.)
From medical equipment and helicopters to turbines and mining equipment, American
companies stand ready to support India’s growing economy, the needs of your people, and
your ability to defend this nation. And today’s deals will lead to more than 50,000 jobs in
the United States -- 50,000 jobs. (Applause.) Everything from high-tech jobs in Southern
California to manufacturing jobs in Ohio.
Now, these are major deals that are significant for both our nations. But our trade
relationship is not just about what America sells India. It’s also about Indian investment in
America is doing. Indian investment in America is among the fastest growing of any
country. In recent years, Indian companies have invested billions of dollars in the United
States -- in American machinery, manufacturing, mining, research, technology. Today,
these investments support tens of thousands of American jobs.
And at the same time, hundreds of American companies -- including many small
businesses -- are investing in India; not just in telecommunications, but in industries from
clean energy to agriculture. This means more choices for Indian consumers and more jobs
for Indians and Americans.
Our relationship is also about more than the goods that we sell or the investments we
make -- it’s about the innovative partnerships we forge in the name of progress. Before I
came here, I had a fascinating meeting. I met with business leaders from both our
countries, including some incredibly young Indian entrepreneurs. And what’s fascinating is
the way that they are now partnering to take technology that has had one application and
use in the United States and found entirely new uses and new businesses models here, in
India.
 They’re working together to make cell towers across India that can run on solar, and not
diesel. They’re putting American technology into Indian electric cars. They’re trying to
bring new filtration systems and clean drinking water to rural India; and they're trying to
develop better drugs for diseases like malaria. These are examples of American companies
doing well and Indian companies doing well.
And these partnerships remind us that by pursuing trade and commerce, we are
unleashing the most powerful force the world has ever known for eradicating poverty and
creating opportunity -- and that's broad-based economic growth.
Now, despite all this progress, the economic relationship between the United States and
India is still one of enormous untapped potential. Of all the goods that India imports, less
than 10 percent come from the United States. Of all the goods that America exports to the
world, less than 2 percent go to India. Our entire trade with your country is still less than
our trade with the Netherlands -– this is a country with a smaller population than the city of
Mumbai. As a result, India is only our 12th largest trade partner.
I have no doubt that we can do better than that -– we can do much better. There’s no
reason this nation can’t be one of our top trading partners. And that’s why we want to work
together with you to remove the barriers to increased trade and investment between our
nations.
In the United States, we’re committed to doing our part. With India and our other G20
partners, we’ve resisted the protectionism that would have plunged the global economy
even deeper into recession. Today, our country remains one of the most open economies in
the world. And while I make no apologies about doing whatever it takes to encourage job
creation and business investment in America, I still work to make sure our efforts don’t
unfairly target companies and workers from this nation or any nation.
And to further increase our exports to places like India, we’re marshalling the full
resources of the United States government to help our companies sell their goods and
services in other markets. We’re increasing export financing for small and medium-sized
businesses. We’re being a better advocate for our businesses. We’re increasing our trade
missions. In fact, my Secretary of Commerce, Gary Locke, will be leading another trade
mission to India in the next few months. And we’re reforming our export control system, so
that even as we strengthen our national security, we make sure that unnecessary barriers
don’t stand in the way of high-tech trade between our countries. Today, I’m pleased to
announce that we will work with India to fundamentally reform our controls on exports,
which will allow greater cooperation in a range of high-tech sectors and strengthen our
nonproliferation efforts. (Applause.)
So we're taking the necessary steps to strengthen this relationship. India can also do its
part. Over the past two decades, it has become much easier for companies to do business
and invest here in India. It was striking talking to some of the American CEOs who are here
who’ve come frequently over decades and seen the incredible progress that's been made.
But I don't think it’s any secret that infrastructure, regulatory barriers and other issues of
uncertainty still pose some serious challenges.
Today, India is making major investments in its infrastructure and creating greater
transparency to support growth and entrepreneurship. Going forward, that commitment
must be matched by a steady reduction in barriers to trade and foreign investment -– from
agriculture to infrastructure, from retail to telecommunications. Because in a global
economy, new growth and jobs flow to countries that lower barriers to trade and investment.

These are steps we can take together to strengthen the economic ties between our
nations -– ties that hold incredible promise for our people and our future -– the promise of
new jobs, new industries and new growth. Whether or not that promise is fulfilled depends
on us -– on the decisions we make and the partnership we build in the coming years.
We must admit it won’t always be an easy road, but as I stand here today, I can tell you
that I’m absolutely confident we will meet this challenge because -- (applause) -- because in
our two nations, I see the fundamental ingredients to success in the 21st century.
 I’m confident because we both cherish the entrepreneurial spirit that empowers
innovation and risk-taking, and allows them to turn a good idea into a new product or
company that changes the world. And we have examples of Indian entrepreneurs and
American entrepreneurs sitting right here who’ve already begun to do that.
And I’m confident because we both know that for those businesses to thrive, our nations
need to invest in science and technology, in research and development, and an
infrastructure for the 21st century.
I’m confident because we both recognize that knowledge is the currency of the future,
and that we must give our children the skills and education that success requires in a global
economy. (Applause.)
And I’m confident because our countries are blessed with the most effective form of
government the world has ever known: democracy. (Applause.) Even if it can be slow at
times. Even if it can be messy. Even if, sometimes, the election doesn’t turn out as you’d
like. (Laughter and applause.)
For we know that when governments are accountable to their people, their people are
more likely to prosper; and that, over the long run, democracy and economic growth,
freedom in the political sphere and freedom in the economic sphere go hand in hand. We
believe that. (Applause.)
What gives me the most confidence about our future is our greatest resource -– the drive
and ingenuity of our people: workers and entrepreneurs- students and innovators; Indians
and Americans, including the nearly 3 million Indian Americans who bind our nations
together. (Applause.)
For despite all the sweeping changes of the last few decades –- from the reform of the
licensing raj to the technological revolutions that continue to shape our global economy -– it
has been people who have driven our progress. It is individual men and women like you
who put their shoulder to the wheel of history and push. An American scientist who
discovers an agricultural breakthrough. An Indian engineer who builds the next-generation
electric car. A small business owner in Detroit who sells his product to a new company in
New Delhi. And all the Mumbaikars who get up every day in this City of Dreams to forge a
better life for their children –- from the boardrooms of world-class Indian companies to the
shops in the winding alleys of Dharavai.
This is the spirit of optimism and determination that has driven our people since before
we were nations -– the same spirit that will drive our future. And that's why I’m thrilled to be
in India and with you here today. And that's why I’m confident that we can and will forge
new economic partnerships and deliver the jobs and broad-based growth that our peoples so
richly deserve. And I am absolutely certain that the relationship between the United States
and India is going to be one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century.
Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you. (Applause.)
END 5:58 P.M. IST
Remarks by the President to the Joint Session of the Indian Parliament in New
Delhi, India
Parliament House, New Delhi, India
5:40 P.M. IST
THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Vice President, Madam Speaker, Mr. Prime Minister, members of
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, and most of all, the people of India.
I thank you for the great honor of addressing the representatives of more than one
billion Indians and the world’s largest democracy. (Applause.) I bring the greetings and
friendship of the world’s oldest democracy —- the United States of America, including nearly
three million proud and patriotic Indian-Americans. (Applause.)
Over the past three days, my wife Michelle and I have experienced the -- and dynamism
of India and its people -- from the majesty of Humayun’s Tomb to the advanced technologies
that are empowering farmers and women who are the backbone of Indian society; from the
Diwali celebrations with schoolchildren to the innovators who are fueling India’s economic
rise; from the university students who will chart India’s future, to you —-leaders who helped
to bring India to this moment of extraordinary promise.
 At every stop, we have been welcomed with the hospitality for which Indians have
always been known. So, to you and the people of India, on behalf of me, Michelle and the
American people, please accept my deepest thanks. (Applause.) Bahoot dhanyavad.
(Applause.)
Now, I am not the first American President to visit India. Nor will I be the last. But I am
proud to visit India so early in my presidency. It’s no coincidence that India is my first stop
on a visit to Asia, or that this has been my longest visit to another country since becoming
President. (Applause.) For in Asia and around the world, India is not simply emerging; India
has emerged. (Applause.)
And it is my firm belief that the relationship between the United States and India -—
bound by our shared interests and our shared values -— will be one of the defining
partnerships of the 21st century. This is the partnership I’ve come here to build. This is the
vision that our nations can realize together.
My confidence in our shared future is grounded in my respect for India’s treasured past -
— a civilization that’s been shaping the world for thousands of years. Indians unlocked the
intricacies of the human body and the vastness of our universe. It’s no exaggeration to say
that our Information Age is rooted in Indian innovations —- including the number zero.
(Applause.)
Of course, India not only opened our minds, she expanded our moral imaginations -- with
religious texts that still summon the faithful to lives of dignity and discipline, with poets who
imagined a future “where the mind is without fear and the head is held high” -- (applause) --
and with a man whose message of love and justice endures -— the father of your nation,
Mahatma Gandhi. (Applause.)
For me and Michelle, this visit has, therefore, held special meaning. See, throughout my
life, including my work as a young man on behalf of the urban poor, I’ve always found
inspiration in the life of Gandhiji and his simple and profound lesson to be the change we
seek in the world. (Applause.) And just as he summoned Indians to seek their destiny, he
influenced champions of equality in my own country, including a young preacher named
Martin Luther King. After making his pilgrimage to India a half-century ago, Dr. King called
Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violent resistance “the only logical and moral approach” in the
struggle for justice and progress. (Applause.)
So we were honored to visit the residence where Gandhi and King both stayed —- Mani
Bhavan. And we were humbled to pay our respects at Raj Ghat. And I am mindful that I
might not be standing before you today, as President of the United States, had it not been
for Gandhi and the message he shared and inspired with America and the world.
(Applause.)
An ancient civilization of science and innovation; a fundamental faith in human progress
-- this is the sturdy foundation upon which you have built ever since that stroke of midnight
when the tricolor was raised over a free and independent India. (Applause.) And despite
the skeptics who said this country was simply too poor, or too vast, or too diverse to
succeed, you surmounted overwhelming odds and became a model to the world.
Instead of slipping into starvation, you launched a Green Revolution that fed millions.
Instead of becoming dependent on commodities and exports, you invested in science and
technology and in your greatest resource —- the Indian people. And the world sees the
results, from the supercomputers you build to the Indian flag that you put on the moon.
Instead of resisting the global economy, you became one of its engines —- reforming the
licensing raj and unleashing an economic marvel that has lifted tens of millions of people
from poverty and created one of the world’s largest middle classes.
Instead of succumbing to division, you have shown that the strength of India —- the very
idea of India —- is its embrace of all colors, all castes, all creeds. (Applause.) It’s the
diversity represented in this chamber today. It’s the richness of faiths celebrated by a
visitor to my hometown of Chicago more than a century ago -— the renowned Swami
Vivekananda. He said that, “holiness, purity and charity are not the exclusive possessions of
any church in the world, and that every system has produced men and women of the most
exalted character.”
 And instead of being lured by the false notion that progress must come at the expense
of freedom, you built the institutions upon which true democracy depends —- free and fair
elections, which enable citizens to choose their own leaders without recourse to arms --
(applause) -- an independent judiciary and the rule of law, which allows people to address
their grievances; and a thriving free press and vibrant civil society which allows every voice
to be heard. This year, as India marks 60 years with a strong and democratic constitution,
the lesson is clear: India has succeeded, not in spite of democracy; India has succeeded
because of democracy. (Applause.)
Now, just as India has changed, so, too, has the relationship between our two nations. In
the decades after independence, India advanced its interests as a proud leader of the
nonaligned movement. Yet, too often, the United States and India found ourselves on
opposite sides of a North-`South divide, estranged by a long Cold War. Those days are over.
Here in India, two successive governments led by different parties have recognized that
deeper partnership with America is both natural and necessary. And in the United States,
both of my predecessors —- one a Democrat, one a Republican -— worked to bring us closer,
leading to increased trade and a landmark civil nuclear agreement. (Applause.)
So since that time, people in both our countries have asked: What’s next? How can we
build on this progress and realize the full potential of our partnership? That’s what I want to
address today —- the future that the United States seeks in an interconnected world, and
why I believe that India is indispensable to this vision; how we can forge a truly global
partnership -— not just in one or two areas, but across many; not just for our mutual benefit,
but for the benefit of the world.
Of course, only Indians can determine India’s national interests and how to advance
them on the world stage. But I stand before you today because I am convinced that the
interests of the United States —- and the interests we share with India -—are best advanced
in partnership. I believe that. (Applause.)
The United States seeks security —- the security of our country, our allies and partners.
We seek prosperity -— a strong and growing economy in an open international economic
system. We seek respect for universal values. And we seek a just and sustainable
international order that promotes peace and security by meeting global challenges through
stronger global cooperation.
Now, to advance these interests, I have committed the United States to comprehensive
engagement with the world, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. And a central
pillar of this engagement is forging deeper cooperation with 21st century centers of
influence -— and that must necessarily include India.
Now, India is not the only emerging power in the world. But relationships between our
countries is unique. For we are two strong democracies whose constitutions begin with the
same revolutionary words —- the same revolutionary words -- “We the people.” We are two
great republics dedicated to the liberty and justice and equality of all people. And we are
two free market economies where people have the freedom to pursue ideas and innovation
that can change the world. And that’s why I believe that India and America are
indispensable partners in meeting the challenges of our time. (Applause.)
Since taking office, I’ve, therefore, made our relationship a priority. I was proud to
welcome Prime Minister Singh for the first official state visit of my presidency. (Applause.)
For the first time ever, our governments are working together across the whole range of
common challenges that we face. Now, let me say it as clearly as I can: The United States
not only welcomes India as a rising global power, we fervently support it, and we have
worked to help make it a reality.
Together with our partners, we have made the G20 the premier forum for international
economic cooperation, bringing more voices to the table of global economic decision-
making, and that has included India. We’ve increased the role of emerging economies like
India at international financial institutions. We valued India’s important role at Copenhagen,
where, for the first time, all major economies committed to take action to confront climate
change —- and to stand by those actions. We salute India’s long history as a leading
contributor to United Nations peacekeeping missions. And we welcome India as it prepares
to take its seat on the United Nations Security Council. (Applause.)
In short, with India assuming its rightful place in the world, we have an historic
opportunity to make the relationship between our two countries a defining partnership of the
century ahead. And I believe we can do so by working together in three important areas.
First, as global partners we can promote prosperity in both our countries. Together, we
can create the high-tech, high-wage jobs of the future. With my visit, we are now ready to
begin implementing our civil nuclear agreement. This will help meet India’s growing energy
needs and create thousands of jobs in both of our countries. (Applause.)
We need to forge partnerships in high-tech sectors like defense and civil space. So
we’ve removed Indian organizations from our so-called “entity list.” And we’ll work to
remove -- and reform our controls on exports. Both of these steps will ensure that Indian
companies seeking high-tech trade and technologies from America are treated the same as
our very closest allies and partners. (Applause.)
We can pursue joint research and development to create green jobs; give India more
access to cleaner, affordable energy; meet the commitments we made at Copenhagen; and
show the possibilities of low-carbon growth.
And together, we can resist the protectionism that stifles growth and innovation. The
United States remains —- and will continue to remain —- one of the most open economies in
the world. And by opening markets and reducing barriers to foreign investment, India can
realize its full economic potential as well. As G20 partners, we can make sure the global
economic recovery is strong and is durable. And we can keep striving for a Doha Round that
is ambitious and is balanced —- with the courage to make the compromises that are
necessary so global trade works for all economies.
Together, we can strengthen agriculture. Cooperation between Indian and American
researchers and scientists sparked the Green Revolution. Today, India is a leader in using
technology to empower farmers, like those I met yesterday who get free updates on market
and weather conditions on their cell phones. And the United States is a leader in agricultural
productivity and research. Now, as farmers and rural areas face the effects of climate
change and drought, we’ll work together to spark a second, more sustainable Evergreen
Revolution.
Together, we’re improving Indian weather forecasting systems before the next monsoon
season. We aim to help millions of Indian farmers -- farming households save water and
increase productivity, improve food processing so crops don’t spoil on the way to market,
and enhance climate and crop forecasting to avoid losses that cripple communities and
drive up food prices.
And as part of our food security initiative, we’re going to share India’s expertise with
farmers in Africa. And this is an indication of India’s rise —- that we can now export hard-
earned expertise to countries that see India as a model for agricultural development. It’s
another powerful example of how American and Indian partnership can address an urgent
global challenge.
Because the wealth of a nation also depends on the health of its people, we’ll continue
to support India’s effort against diseases like tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, and as global
partners, we’ll work to improve global health by preventing the spread of pandemic flu. And
because knowledge is the currency of the 21st century, we will increase exchanges between
our students, our colleges and our universities, which are among the best in the world.
As we work to advance our shared prosperity, we can partner to address a second
priority —- and that is our shared security. In Mumbai, I met with the courageous families
and survivors of that barbaric attack. And here in Parliament, which was itself targeted
because of the democracy it represents, we honor the memory of all those who have been
taken from us, including American citizens on 26/11 and Indian citizens on 9/11.
This is the bond that we share. It’s why we insist that nothing ever justifies the
slaughter of innocent men, women and children. It’s why we’re working together, more
closely than ever, to prevent terrorist attacks and to deepen our cooperation even further.
And it’s why, as strong and resilient societies, we refuse to live in fear. We will not sacrifice
the values and rule of law that defines us, and we will never waver in the defense of our
people.
America’s fight against al Qaeda and its terrorist affiliates is why we persevere in
Afghanistan, where major development assistance from India has improved the lives of the
Afghan people. We’re making progress in our mission to break the Taliban’s momentum and
to train Afghan forces so they can take the lead for their security. And while I have made it
clear that American forces will begin the transition to Afghan responsibility next summer,
I’ve also made it clear that America’s commitment to the Afghan people will endure. The
United States will not abandon the people of Afghanistan -— or the region -— to violent
extremists who threaten us all.
Our strategy to disrupt and dismantle and defeat al Qaeda and its affiliates has to
succeed on both sides of the border. And that’s why we have worked with the Pakistani
government to address the threat of terrorist networks in the border region. The Pakistani
government increasingly recognizes that these networks are not just a threat outside of
Pakistan —- they are a threat to the Pakistani people, as well. They’ve suffered greatly at
the hands of violent extremists over the last several years.
And we’ll continue to insist to Pakistan's leaders that terrorist safe havens within their
borders are unacceptable, and that terrorists behind the Mumbai attacks must be brought to
justice. (Applause.) We must also recognize that all of us have an interest in both an
Afghanistan and a Pakistan that is stable and prosperous and democratic —- and India has
an interest in that, as well.
In pursuit of regional security, we will continue to welcome dialogue between India and
Pakistan, even as we recognize that disputes between your two countries can only be
resolved by the people of your two countries.
More broadly, India and the United States can partner in Asia. Today, the United States
is once again playing a leadership role in Asia —- strengthening old alliances; deepening
relationships, as we are doing with China; and we’re reengaging with regional organizations
like ASEAN and joining the East Asia summit —- organizations in which India is also a
partner. Like your neighbors in Southeast Asia, we want India not only to “look East,” we
want India to “engage East” —- because it will increase the security and prosperity of all our
nations.
As two global leaders, the United States and India can partner for global security —-
especially as India serves on the Security Council over the next two years. Indeed, the just
and sustainable international order that America seeks includes a United Nations that is
efficient, effective, credible and legitimate. That is why I can say today, in the years ahead,
I look forward to a reformed United Nations Security Council that includes India as a
permanent member. (Applause.)
Now, let me suggest that with increased power comes increased responsibility. The
United Nations exists to fulfill its founding ideals of preserving peace and security,
promoting global cooperation, and advancing human rights. These are the responsibilities
of all nations, but especially those that seek to lead in the 21st century. And so we look
forward to working with India —- and other nations that aspire to Security Council
membership -— to ensure that the Security Council is effective; that resolutions are
implemented, that sanctions are enforced; that we strengthen the international norms which
recognize the rights and responsibilities of all nations and all individuals.
This includes our responsibility to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. Since I took
office, the United States has reduced the role of nuclear weapons in our national security
strategy, and we've agreed with Russia to reduce our own arsenals. We have put
preventing nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism at the top of our nuclear agenda, and
we have strengthened the cornerstone of the global non-proliferation regime, which is the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Together, the United States and India can pursue our goal of securing the world’s
vulnerable nuclear materials. We can make it clear that even as every nation has the right
to peaceful nuclear energy, every nation must also meet its international obligations —- and
that includes the Islamic Republic of Iran. And together, we can pursue a vision that Indian
leaders have espoused since independence —- a world without nuclear weapons.
(Applause.)
And this leads me to the final area where our countries can partner —- strengthening the
foundations of democratic governance, not only at home but abroad.
In the United States, my administration has worked to make government more open and
transparent and accountable to people. Here in India, you’re harnessing technologies to do
the same, as I saw yesterday at an expo in Mumbai. Your landmark Right to Information Act
is empowering citizens with the ability to get the services to which they’re entitled --
(applause) -- and to hold officials accountable. Voters can get information about candidates
by text message. And you’re delivering education and health care services to rural
communities, as I saw yesterday when I joined an e-panchayat with villagers in Rajasthan.
Now, in a new collaboration on open government, our two countries are going to share
our experience, identify what works, and develop the next generation of tools to empower
citizens. And in another example of how American and Indian partnership can address
global challenges, we’re going to share these innovations with civil society groups and
countries around the world. We’re going to show that democracy, more than any other form
of government, delivers for the common man —- and woman.
Likewise, when Indians vote, the whole world watches. Thousands of political parties;
hundreds of thousands of polling centers; millions of candidates and poll workers -- and 700
million voters. There’s nothing like it on the planet. There is so much that countries
transitioning to democracy could learn from India’s experience, so much expertise that India
can share with the world. And that, too, is what is possible when the world’s largest
democracy embraces its role as a global leader.
As the world’s two largest democracies, we must never forget that the price of our own
freedom is standing up for the freedom of others. (Applause.) Indians know this, for it is the
story of your nation. Before he ever began his struggle for Indian independence, Gandhi
stood up for the rights of Indians in South Africa. Just as others, including the United States,
supported Indian independence, India championed the self-determination of peoples from
Africa to Asia as they, too, broke free from colonialism. (Applause.) And along with the
United States, you’ve been a leader in supporting democratic development and civil society
groups around the world. And this, too, is part of India’s greatness.
Now, we all understand every country will follow its own path. No one nation has a
monopoly on wisdom, and no nation should ever try to impose its values on another. But
when peaceful democratic movements are suppressed —- as they have been in Burma, for
example -- then the democracies of the world cannot remain silent. For it is unacceptable to
gun down peaceful protestors and incarcerate political prisoners decade after decade. It is
unacceptable to hold the aspirations of an entire people hostage to the greed and paranoia
of bankrupt regimes. It is unacceptable to steal elections, as the regime in Burma has done
again for all the world to see.
Faced with such gross violations of human rights, it is the responsibility of the
international community —- especially leaders like the United States and India —- to
condemn it. And if I can be frank, in international fora, India has often shied away from
some of these issues. But speaking up for those who cannot do so for themselves is not
interfering in the affairs of other countries. It’s not violating the rights of sovereign nations.
It is staying true to our democratic principles. It is giving meaning to the human rights that
we say are universal. And it sustains the progress that in Asia and around the world has
helped turn dictatorships into democracies and ultimately increased our security in the
world.
So promoting shared prosperity, preserving peace and security, strengthening
democratic governance and human rights -- these are the responsibilities of leadership. And
as global partners, this is the leadership that the United States and India can offer in the
21st century. Ultimately, though, this cannot be a relationship only between presidents and
prime ministers, or in the halls of this Parliament. Ultimately, this must be a partnership
between our peoples. (Applause.) So I want to conclude by speaking directly to the people
of India who are watching today.
 In your lives, you have overcome odds that might have overwhelmed a lesser country.
In just decades, you have achieved progress and development that took other nations
centuries. You are now assuming your rightful place as a leader among nations. Your
parents and grandparents imagined this. Your children and grandchildren will look back on
this. But only this generation of Indians can seize the possibilities of the moment.
As you carry on with the hard work ahead, I want every Indian citizen to know: The
United States of America will not simply be cheering you on from the sidelines. We will be
right there with you, shoulder to shoulder. (Applause.) Because we believe in the promise
of India. We believe that the future is what we make it. We believe that no matter who you
are or where you come from, every person can fulfill their God-given potential, just as a Dalit
like Dr. Ambedkar could lift himself up and pen the words of the constitution that protects
the rights of all Indians. (Applause.)
We believe that no matter where you live —- whether a village in Punjab or the bylanes
of Chandni Chowk -- (laughter) -- an old section of Kolkata or a new high-rise in Bangalore --
every person deserves the same chance to live in security and dignity, to get an education,
to find work, to give their children a better future.
And we believe that when countries and cultures put aside old habits and attitudes that
keep people apart, when we recognize our common humanity, then we can begin to fulfill
these aspirations that we share. It’s a simple lesson contained in that collection of stories
which has guided Indians for centuries —- the Panchtantra. And it’s the spirit of the
inscription seen by all who enter this great hall: “That one is mine and the other a stranger
is the concept of little minds. But to the large-hearted, the world itself is their family.”
This is the story of India; this is the story of America —- that despite their differences,
people can see themselves in one another, and work together and succeed together as one
proud nation. And it can be the spirit of partnership between our nations —- that even as we
honor the histories which in different times kept us apart, even as we preserve what makes
us unique in a globalized world, we can recognize how much we can achieve together.
And if we let this simple concept be our guide, if we pursue the vision I’ve described
today —- a global partnership to meet global challenges —- then I have no doubt that future
generations —- Indians and Americans —- will live in a world that is more prosperous and
more secure and more just because of the bonds that our generation has forged today.
So, thank you, and Jai Hind. (Applause.) And long live the partnership between India
and the United States. (Applause.)
END 6:17 P.M. IST
Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Singh in Joint Press Conference
in New Delhi, India
Hyderabad House, New Delhi, India
1:00 P.M. IST
PRIME MINISTER SINGH: Your Excellency, President Barack Obama, distinguished
representatives of the media, I’m delighted to welcome President Obama and his gracious
wife on their first visit to our country. I welcome the President as a personal friend and a
great charismatic leader who has made a deep imprint on world affairs through his inclusive
vision of peace, security and welfare for all peoples and all nations.
The President and the First Lady have made an abiding impression on the people of India
with their warmth, with their grace, and with their commitment to promoting the relationship
between our two great democracies.
President Obama yesterday characterized the India-U.S. partnership as one of the
defining and indispensable partnerships of the 21st century. In my discussion with the
President, we have decided to accelerate the deepening of our ties and to work as equal
partners in a strategic relationship that will positively and decisively influence world peace,
stability and progress.
We welcome the decision by the United States to lift control from exports of high-
technology items and the technologies to India, and support India’s membership in
multilateral export control regimes such as the Nuclear Suppliers Group. This is a
manifestation of the growing trust and confidence in each other.
 We have agreed on steps to expand our cooperation in space, civil nuclear defense and
other high-end sectors. We have announced specific initiatives in the areas of clean
energy, health and agriculture. These include a joint clean energy research and
development center, the establishment of a global disease detection center in India, and an
agreement for cooperation in weather and crop forecasting.
We have decided to hold a higher education summit next year. Cooperation in the field
of education holds great promise because no two other countries are better equipped to be
partners in building the knowledge economy of the future.
The United States is one of our largest trading partners. Our trade is balanced and
growing. India is among the fastest-growing sources of investment in the United States.
Indian investments have helped to increase the competitiveness of the U.S. economy. We
welcome increased U.S. investment and high-technology flows in key sectors of our
economy, including the sector of nuclear energy.
We have agreed to facilitate trade and people-to-people exchanges, recognizing that
protectionism is detrimental to both our economies.
I conveyed our gratitude to the President for the cooperation we have received in our
counterterrorism measures post-Mumbai. We will start a new homeland security dialogue to
deepen this cooperation.
We had a detailed exchange on the situation in our extended region, including East Asia,
Afghanistan, Pakistan and West Asia. We have a shared vision of security, stability and
prosperity in Asia based on an open and inclusive regional architecture. We have agreed to
broaden our strategic dialogue to cover other regions and areas, and initiate joint projects in
Africa and Afghanistan.
As states possessing nuclear weapons, we have today put forth a common vision of a
world without nuclear weapons, and decided to lead global efforts for nonproliferation and
universal and non-discriminating global nuclear disarmament. This is a historic and bold
bilateral initiative.
We also decided to strengthen cooperation to tackle nuclear terrorism and we welcome
U.S. participation in the Global Center of Nuclear Energy Partnership, which will be set up in
India.
President Obama is a sincere and a valued friend of our country, and our discussions
have led to a meeting of minds. Ours is a partnership based on common values and
interests, a shared vision of the world, and the deep-rooted ties of friendship among our two
peoples. I look forward to working with the President to realize the enormous potential of
this partnership of our two countries.
I now invite President Obama to make his remarks. And I thank you. (Applause.)
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you very much, Prime Minister Singh. And good afternoon,
everyone. I want to begin by saying how thrilled my wife Michelle and I and our entire
delegation are to be here in India. We have been received with incredible warmth and
incredible hospitality. And that includes the hospitality of our friends, Prime Minister Singh
and his lovely wife Mrs. Kaur, who we thank for such graciousness and a wonderful dinner
last night.
As I've said throughout my visit, I have come to India because I believe that the
relationship between the United States and India is indispensable to addressing the
challenges of our time -- from creating economic opportunity for our people to confronting
terrorism and violent extremism; from preventing the spread of nuclear weapons to
addressing climate change; from the development that gives people and nations a path out
of poverty to advancing human rights and values that are universal. None of this will be
possible without strong cooperation between the United States and India.
Moreover, as Prime Minister Singh alluded to, ours is no ordinary relationship. As the
world’s two largest democracies, as large and growing free market economies, as diverse,
multiethnic societies with strong traditions of pluralism and tolerance, we have not only an
opportunity but also a responsibility to lead.
And that’s why I believe that the relationship between the United States and India will, in
fact, be one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century. That’s why I've worked with
the Prime Minister, a man of extraordinary intellect and great integrity, to deepen and
broaden the cooperation between our two countries. And I very much look forward to
addressing the Indian Parliament and the people of India later today to discuss how the
United States and India can take our partnership to the next level, with a vision of how we
can work together as global partners.
With the progress we’ve made today, we’re seeing just how broad and deep our
cooperation can be. As President, I've had the opportunity to appear with many of my
foreign counterparts at press conferences such as this, but I cannot remember an occasion
when we have agreed to so many new partnerships across so many areas as we have during
my visit.
We’ve expanded trade and investment to create prosperity for our people. The major
trade deals that were signed in Mumbai were an important step forward in elevating India to
one of America’s top trading partners. Today I'm pleased to welcome India’s preliminary
agreement to purchase 10 C-17 cargo planes, which will enhance Indian capabilities and
support 22,000 jobs back in the United States.
We agreed to reform our controls on exports, and the United States will remove Indian
organizations from the so-called “entity list,” which will allow greater cooperation in a range
of high-tech sectors like civil space and defense. And we agreed to keep working to reduce
trade barriers and resist protectionism.
As a result of this visit, we are already beginning to implement our civil nuclear
agreement. We agreed to deepen our cooperation in pursuit of clean energy technologies,
and this includes the creation of a new clean energy research center here in India, and
continuing our joint research into solar, biofuels, shale gas, and building efficiency. And we
agreed to new partnerships including forestry and sustainable development of land to help
meet the commitments we made at Copenhagen to combat climate change.
To ensure the safety of our citizens, we’re deepening our efforts to prevent terrorism.
Cooperation between our countries’ intelligence and law enforcement communities has
already reached unprecedented levels. And today, we’re taking another step -- a new effort
between our Department of Homeland Security and the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs to
improve security at our ports, our airports, and our borders.
I also discussed with the Prime Minister our efforts in Afghanistan, and once again
thanked him and the Indian people for the generous contributions that India has made
towards development and improving the lives of the Afghan people. We agreed on the need
for all nations in the region to work together and ensure that there are no safe havens for
terrorists.
We’re expanding our efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation. In keeping with its
commitment at our Nuclear Security Summit, India will build a new center of excellence for
nuclear energy and security to help reach our goal of securing vulnerable nuclear materials
in four years.
Given India’s growing role in the region, we also agreed to deepen our consultations on
East Asia. Given India’s growing role on the world stage, we’ll expand our dialogue on global
issues. And we discussed the need for international institutions, including the United
Nations, to reflect the realities of the 21st century -- which I will discuss further in my
address to Parliament.
Finally, we continue to expand partnerships between our peoples. To promote global
health, we're moving ahead with a new disease detection center here in New Delhi. Building
on our successful efforts to expand educational exchanges, including our Singh-Obama 21st
Century Knowledge Initiative, we’ll convene a summit to forge new collaborations in higher
education. And we're announcing two initiatives today that harness technology to deliver
progress for our people.
Building on the Indian and American agricultural collaboration that led to the Green
Revolution, we're launching a new partnership for a Evergreen Revolution to improve food
security around the world. We're also launching a new partnership to promote open
government and to empower citizens. And in my address to Parliament I'll be discussing
why these efforts can be models for the kind of cooperation that not only benefits America
and India, but benefits other nations as well.
So, taken together, all of these partnerships, all these initiatives make it clear the
relationship between the United States and India is stronger, deeper and broader than ever
before.
So, Mr. Prime Minister, again I thank you for your partnership and for your friendship. I
am confident that as India’s influence in the world continues to rise, so, too, will the
opportunities for even closer cooperation between our two countries. And that will mean
even greater security and prosperity for India, for the United States, for this region, and for
the world.
Thank you very much, Mr. Prime Minister. (Applause.)
MODERATOR: Thank you, Mr. President.
The Prime Minister and the President would be happy to take two questions each from
the Indian and the American media. You are requested to please restrict yourself to one
question either to the Prime Minister or the President and indicate whom the question is
addressed to. The first question goes to the American side.
MR. GIBBS: Scott Wilson from The Washington Post.
Q Thank you, Mr. President, Prime Minister.
Mr. President, after a difficult and violent summer in Kashmir, perhaps the chief
flashpoint between your chief ally in the Afghanistan war and India, could you explain your
administration’s policy towards Kashmir and what role the United States might play in
resolving that crisis? And if I might, could you please -- this morning you called India a world
power. Is it possible anymore to stand in the way of India’s bid for a permanent seat on the
U.N. Security Council?
And, Prime Minister --
MODERATOR: Sir, I will request you to please restrict yourself to one question.
Q Not one each?
MODERATOR: Please one question, if it’s possible. Please restrict yourself to one
question to one of the leaders. Thank you.
Q Okay. Prime Minister -- may I address the Prime Minister?
MODERATOR: All right.
Q Thank you. To follow on a question that was asked yesterday by a student in
Mumbai, do you believe that the United States should refer to Pakistan as a terrorist state?
PRESIDENT OBAMA: With respect to Kashmir, obviously this is a longstanding dispute
between India and Pakistan. As I said yesterday, I believe that both Pakistan and India have
an interest in reducing tensions between the two countries. The United States cannot
impose a solution to these problems, but I’ve indicated to Prime Minister Singh that we are
happy to play any role that the parties think is appropriate in reducing these tensions.
That’s in the interests of the region, it’s in the interests of the two countries involved, and
it’s in the interests of the United States of America.
So my hope is that conversations will be taking place between the two countries. They
may not start on that particular flashpoint. There may be confidence-building measures that
need to take place. But I’m absolutely convinced that it is both in India’s and Pakistan’s
interest to reduce tensions, and that will enable them I think to focus on the range of both
challenges and opportunities that each country faces.
I do want to make this point, though, that I think Prime Minister Singh, throughout his
career and throughout his prime-ministership, has consistently spoken out both publicly and
privately on his desire, his personal commitment, to reduce tensions between India and
Pakistan. And for that, I very much commend him. I think Prime Minister Singh is sincere
and relentless in his desire for peace.
And so my hope is, is that both sides can, over the next several months, several years,
find mechanisms that are appropriate for them to work out what are these very difficult
issues.
Mr. Prime Minister.
Q (Inaudible.)
 PRESIDENT OBAMA: Oh, well, I was instructed to only take one question. (Laughter.) It
looks like the Indian and the American press are collaborating. That's not the kind of
partnership we were looking for. (Laughter.) But I will be addressing that issue in my
speech in Parliament today, so if you’ll just have a little bit of patience.
PRIME MINISTER SINGH: Mr. President, as far as India’s relations with Pakistan are
concerned, I’ve always maintained that a strong, peaceful, moderate Pakistan is in the
interest of India, is in the interest of South Asia and the world as a whole.
We are committed to engage Pakistan. We are committed to resolve all outstanding
issues between our two countries, including the word “K” -- we're not afraid of that. But it is
our request that you cannot simultaneously be talking and at the same time the terror
machine is as active as ever before. Once Pakistan moves away from this terror-induced
coercion, we will be very happy to engage productively with Pakistan to resolve all
outstanding issues.
Q Mr. President, my question to you, sir, you’ve consistently said India, as an emerging
power, has potential to be America’s most important strategic partner. What is your vision
for India in the next decade? And how vital is this relationship for your administration -- in
your administration’s worldview? Thank you.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, first of all, this relationship is extraordinarily important to me
-- and don't just take my word for it, I think, look at our actions. Obviously this trip has been
of enormous significance. It’s no accident that this is the longest time that I've spent in a
foreign country since I've been President.
And both the Prime Minister and I have alluded to why I think this partnership can be so
important. We are the world’s two largest democracies. We have both a set of values and
principles that we share that I believe are universal: the belief in individual liberty, in
freedom of the press, in freedom of political assembly, in human rights. We both have large
market economies.
And the person-to-person contacts between India and the United States are
unparalleled. We have millions of Indian-Americans who are helping to grow our country
each and every day. And we have hundreds of thousands of students from India who are
studying in the United States and then bringing back what they’ve learned to help develop
India.
And so on the commercial level, on the person-to-person level, the strategic level, I think
this partnership is incredibly important.
As I said yesterday, I don’t think India is emerging -- it has emerged. India is a key actor
on the world stage. And given that we have these values that we share, at a time when
there are still too many conflicts, there are still too many misunderstandings between
nations, when principles like democracy and human rights too often are not observed, for
our two countries to be able to stand together to promote those principles -- in international
forums, by the example that we set, by the bilateral ties that we form -- I think can be
incredibly powerful and incredibly important.
And one last point I want to make on this. This is a belief that is shared by Republicans
and Democrats in the United States. I mean, if you think about what’s happened in our
relationship, how it’s evolved over the last 15 to 20 years -- you had President Clinton, a
Democrat; President Bush, a Republican; and now me, another Democrat -- each of us
reaffirming in a steady, committed way, why the U.S.-India relationship is so important.
And so we are going to continue to cultivate this. We will continue to nurture it. We
have business leaders who are here today and have been working actively in the private
sector to strengthen those ties. We want to make sure that our governments are acting in
that same constructive way. And if we do so, then I think that's not only going to benefit
India and the United States, but I think ultimately will benefit the world as well.
PRIME MINISTER SINGH: The foremost concern of the Indian polity is to grapple with the
problem of poverty, ignorance and disease which still afflict millions of our citizens. For that,
we need a strong, resurgent, robust rate of economic growth. And it is a growth rate which
is within our reach. Our objective is to sustain a growth rate of 9 to 10 percent per annum in
the next three decades. And in that process, the help of the United States is of enormous
significance.
We need a global trading system which does not encourage protectionism, which
enables our entrepreneurs to make use of the enormous opportunities that processes of
globalization now offer. We need the American assistance by way of export of capital. We
welcome American investments in our economy.
I've mentioned also on several occasions, India needs an investment of a trillion dollars
in the next five years in its infrastructure, and we would welcome American contribution in
fulfilling that ambition of ours.
America is a home of high technology. We need that technology to upgrade our skills
both in the civilian sector and also in the defense sector. So I attach great importance to
strengthening in every possible way India’s cooperation with the United States. This is truly
a relationship which can become a defining relationship for this 21st blessed century of ours.
MR. GIBBS: Christi Parsons with The Chicago Tribune.
Q Thank you very much. This question is for you, President Obama, but if the Prime
Minister chooses to weigh in on it, that would be lovely.
Mr. President, the German Finance Minister says this of recent Fed decisions: “It doesn’t
add up when the Americans accuse the Chinese of currency manipulation and then, with the
help of their central bank’s printing presses, artificially lower the value of the dollar.” Might
this, in fact, look hypocritical to other world leaders as you head to the G20 to talk about this
and other issues? How do you address it? And do you expect support from the Indian
government and your press to get the Chinese government to appreciate the value of the
currency?
Thank you.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: First of all, Christi, as you’re aware, the Federal Reserve is an
independent body. It doesn’t take orders from the White House, and it’s important as a
policy matter, as an institutional matter, that we don’t comment on particular Fed actions.
I will say that the Fed’s mandate, my mandate, is to grow our economy. And that’s not
just good for the United States, that’s good for the world as a whole.
The United States has been an engine for growth, for trade, for opportunity for decades
now. And we’ve just gone through an extraordinary economic trauma, which has resulted in
some extraordinary measures. And the worst thing that could happen to the world
economy, not ours -- not just ours, but the entire world’s economy -- is if we end up being
stuck with no growth or very limited growth. And I think that’s the Fed’s concern, and that’s
my concern as well.
Now, when we go to the G20, we’re going to be talking about a whole host of issues,
including how do we start creating balanced and sustainable growth. And if you think about
what’s happened at the G20 over the last couple of years, the first G20 I participated in was
all about putting out a fire. We had an immediate crisis in the financial sector that had to be
dealt with. And working with outstanding leaders like Prime Minister Singh, we were able to
deal with it and that immediate crisis was contained.
Subsequently, we’ve talked about how do we maintain growth, how do we start looking
at fiscal consolidation and making sure that countries that may have overextended
themselves for a long time start getting their houses in order. But part of balanced growth
is also a recognition that we can’t continue to sustain a situation in which some countries
are maintaining massive surpluses, others massive deficits, and there never is the kind of
adjustments with respect to currency that would lead to a more balanced growth pattern.
Now, I should point out that India is -- has been part of the solution and not part of the
problem. As Prime Minister Singh mentioned, generally there’s a balanced growth pattern
with respect to India. We’ve got excellent trade ties with India. India has been moving in a
more liberal direction consistently under Prime Minister Singh’s leadership. And India has
been a very constructive partner with us in some of these international issues. I expect that
will continue.
So I’m sure that we’ll have more commentary at the G20 when we get to Seoul. Every
country I think is concerned right now about what other countries are doing at a time when
the recovery is still fragile. But the bottom line is that every country that participates in the
G20 will benefit if the United States’ economy is growing.
PRIME MINISTER SINGH: Ladies and gentlemen, I don’t claim to have any expert
knowledge of the working of the American economy. But I do know one thing: that a
strong, robust, fast-growing United States is in the interests of the world. And therefore,
anything that would stimulate the underlying growth and policies of entrepreneurship in the
United States would help the cause of global prosperity.
Q Thank you. This question is for President Obama, but, Mr. Prime Minister, I’d request
you as well to answer it if that’s possible since you’re taking the other questions as well.
But just taking forward I think what my colleague from the U.S. media just said, the
American press has been full of headlines on this visit of yours, about the 50,000 jobs that
have been created because of deals that have been struck around this visit. Critics argue
that unemployment rates in India are also very high. So what does India get out of all these
deals that have been struck and this visit? And also, isn’t the outsourcing bogeyman a little
misdirected, given that it’s become such a hot-button issue? The job losses are really in the
manufacturing sector and they’re going to China, which is the greater threat.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, first of all, I don't think you’ve heard me make outsourcing a
bogeyman during the course of my visit. In fact, I explicitly said in my address in Mumbai to
the Business Council that I think both countries are operating on some stereotypes that have
outlived their usefulness.
In every discussion that I've had with Indian businesses, what I've seen is that our
countries are matched up in a way that allows for enormous win-win potential. So you
mentioned that some of the deals that we have struck are ones that will create jobs in the
United States. That's absolutely true. We're very proud of some of our high-tech industries
and we think that we make some of the best products in the world, and we want to sell them
to a growing Indian market.
But it turns out that those same technologies are ones that will allow Indian
entrepreneurs to grow and to thrive and create jobs right here in India. And that's true at
the large scale --if we're helping to build up Indian infrastructure, then that helps to knit the
country together and get goods and products and services to market.
It’s true of the small scale. I mean, I had these amazing conversations down in Mumbai
with Indian businesspeople who had taken American technology -- in one case, it was solar
cells; in another case it was some of the equipment designed to be used for electric cars.
And they were using those technologies in new ways in India, using different business
models that applied uniquely to India, to make profits and to do good here in India -- and to
create jobs here in India.
So I think that the pattern that you’re going to see is that U.S. companies are creating
jobs in the United States with technologies where we’ve got a lead. Indian businesses are
then going to take those technologies and apply them in India to grow Indian businesses as
well. And that’s going to be a win-win for both. Those are the kinds of patterns that I think
make this relationship so important.
And when I go back home to the United States -- part of the reason that I advertise these
50,000 jobs is I want to be able to say to the American people when they ask me, well, why
are you spending time with India, aren’t they taking our jobs? -- I want to be able to say,
actually, you know what, they just created 50,000 jobs. And that’s why we shouldn’t be
resorting to protectionist measures; we shouldn’t be thinking that it’s just a one-way street.
I want both the citizens in the United States and citizens in India to understand the benefits
of commercial ties between the two countries.
PRIME MINISTER SINGH: Well, as far as India is concerned, India is not in the business of
stealing jobs from the United States of America. Our outsourcing industry I believe has
helped to improve the productive capacity and productivity of American industry. And the
new deals that have been struck, they all happen to be in infrastructure, and infrastructure
today is the biggest bottleneck to the faster growth of India, to the faster growth of
employment. And therefore, these deals that the President has mentioned are truly an
example of trade being a win-win situation for both our countries.
 In fact, I have a vision that when the G20 meets later in the month in Seoul, that the
world needs a new balance between deficit countries and surplus countries, and that
balance has to be restored by paying more attention to the development -- of the
development potential, including infrastructure development and energy infrastructure
agricultural infrastructure in the poorer countries of the world.
That is the challenge before the global statesmanship. And I do hope that the Group of
20, when it meets in Seoul, with the active guidance and support of President Obama, who
in a way is the father of the Group of 20 -- it was his initiative which led to the creation of
the Group of 20 -- this group will, I sincerely hope, grapple with this issue of rebalancing
growth by laying emphasis on faster growth in the countries which are described normally
as developing world.
MODERATOR: Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister. Thank you, Mr. President.
The press conference now draws to a close. Thank you for your presence. (Applause.)
END 1:40 P.M. IST
Remarks by the President at Official Arrival Ceremony in New Delhi, India
Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, India
9:57 A.M. IST
PRESIDENT OBAMA: First of all, I want to thank all the people of India for the
extraordinary hospitality and welcome that Michelle and I and my delegation have already
received.
And we took this trip with the intention of strengthening what is already an incredible
friendship between the United States and India. As I’ve said earlier during my visit, I believe
that the partnership between the United States and India will be one of the defining
partnerships of the 21st century. We are the two largest democracies in the world. We
share extraordinary people-to-people contacts. Most importantly, we share a core set of
values.
And my hope is that during the course of these discussions between myself and the
Prime Minister, myself and the President, and other members of the Indian delegation, that
we will be able to continue to build on the commercial ties that we already have to
strengthen our cooperation in our bilateral relations in the international economy; that we'll
be able to focus on issues like counterterrorism in order to assure that both the United
States and India are secure well into the future; that we can build on the people-to-people
ties that are in part grounded in the millions of Indian-Americans who contribute so much to
our country and help give us an appreciation of Indian life; and that, given that India is not
simply an emerging power but now is a world power, that the United States and India will be
able to work together to promote the international principles, the rules of interaction
between nations that can promote peace and stability and prosperity not only for our two
nations but for the world as a whole.
So, to all the people of India, Michelle and I express our extraordinary thanks for the
wonderful hospitality that we've received, and also we want to send our warmest regards
from the people of the United States to all the people of India.
Thank you so much.
END 10:00 A.M. IST
Remarks by the President and the First Lady in Town Hall with Students in
Mumbai, India
St. Xavier College
Mumbai, India

11:45 A.M. IST

MRS. OBAMA: Hello, everyone. Namaste. It is a pleasure and an honor to be here in

India. Everyone, please sit, who can sit. Rest. It’s warm. We are thrilled to be here and to
have a chance to spend time with so many outstanding young people from St. Xavier’s
College and so many other schools across Mumbai.
 Now, this is my first trip to India, but it is not my first exposure to India’s wonderful
culture and people. See, I grew up in Chicago, which is a city with one of the largest Indian-
American communities in our country. And of course, last year, as you know, we were proud
to host Prime Minister Singh and Mrs. Kaur for our very first state visit and dinner. It was a
beautiful evening under a tent on the South Lawn of the White House, and we got to hear
some pretty great Bhangra as well. I danced there, too. (Laughter.)
So I have really been looking forward to this trip for a very long time. The time that we
spend with young people during our travel is very special to both me and to the President.
When I was your age, I never dreamed of traveling to countries like this and meeting with
young people like all of you. In fact, there were a lot of things that I had never imagined for
myself growing up, including having the honor of serving as my county’s First Lady.
My family didn’t have a lot of money. My parents never went to college. I grew up in a
little bitty apartment in a working-class neighborhood on the south side of Chicago. My
parents worked hard to pay the bills and to keep a roof over our heads. But even though my
parents couldn't give us material things, they gave us something much more precious --
they gave me and my brother strong values. They taught us to treat others with dignity and
respect. They taught us to push for excellence in every single thing we did. They taught us
to be humble and to be grateful for everything we had. They taught us to put every last bit
of effort into our education and to take pride in our work. They taught us that our
circumstances didn’t define us, and that if we believed in ourselves, if we made the most of
every single opportunity, we could build our own destinies and accomplish anything we put
our minds to.
And I try every single day to take those lessons to heart. And the fact that all of you are
here today tells me that we all share these same values, that we all learn these same
lessons. You're here today because, like me and my husband, you believe in your dreams
and you're working hard every single day to fulfill them. More importantly, you’re here
because you’ve committed to something greater than yourselves. You're here not just
because of your academic and extracurricular activities and achievements, but because of
what you’ve done to give back to your schools and to your communities.
Your willingness to serve is critical for all that lies ahead once you finish your education.
Because the truth is pretty soon the responsibilities for building our future will fall to all of
you. Soon we're going to be looking to your generation to make the discoveries and build
the industries that will shape our world for decades to come.
We'll be looking to you to protect our planet. We're going to be looking to you to lift up
our most vulnerable citizens. We're going to be looking to you to heal the divisions that too
often keep us apart. And I believe that you and your peers around the world are more than
up to the challenge, because I've seen it firsthand right here in India.
Just yesterday I had the wonderful opportunity to visit an organization called Make A
Difference. It’s an amazing program designed and run by young adults who recruit other
young people, outstanding college students like themselves, to mentor and teach children
who, as the founder said, haven’t had the same chances in life as many of the mentors have
had.
These young volunteers understand and believe in something very simple, that all
children, regardless of their circumstances, deserve the same chance to get educated and to
build productive and successful lives. And I know that many of you here today are doing
equally important work in your communities and your schools -- everything from holding
camps for kids in need to teaching computer literacy skills, to finding new ways to conserve
energy.
And let me tell you, this work is amazing, and it is vitally important. And that is why, as
First Lady, I have tried my best to engage young people not just in the United States but
around the world, letting them know that we believe in them, but more importantly, that we
need them. We need you. We need you to help solve the great challenges of our time.
And that's also why when my husband travels abroad, he doesn’t just meet with heads of
state in parliaments and in palaces. He always meets with young people like all of you.
That's why he’s been working to expand educational exchanges and partnerships between
the United States, India, and countries around the world.
Right now, more Indian students like you come to study in the United States than from any
other country. And I'm proud to see that so many American students are doing the same
thing right here in India, building the types of friendships and relationships that will last a
lifetime. Our hope is to provide more Indian and American young people with these types of
opportunities to continue to connect and share ideas and experiences.
And finally, my husband is also working to encourage young entrepreneurs everywhere to
start businesses, to improve the health of our communities and to empower our young
women and girls because it is never too late or too early to start changing this world for the
better.
So I want to end today by congratulating you all -- congratulating you on everything you
do. We are so proud of you. I want to encourage you to keep dreams -- keep dreaming big
huge, gigantic dreams -- not just for yourselves, but for your communities and for our world.
And finally, I want to urge you today to ask my husband some tough questions, all right?
(Laughter.) Be tough. He loves doing events like this. This brightens his days. But you got
to keep him on his toes, all right?
So if you promise me that, without further ado, I would like to introduce my husband, the
President of the United States, Barack Obama. (Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, everybody. Thank you so much. Thank you. (Applause.)
Thank you very much. Everybody, please have a seat. Have a seat. Namaste.
AUDIENCE: Namaste.
THE PRESIDENT: It is such a pleasure to be here. Now, I have to say, first of all, I don't
like speaking after Michelle. (Laughter.) Because she’s very good. Also because she teases
me. You notice how she said for you to all ask tough questions. If you want to ask easy
questions, that's fine. (Laughter.)
But on behalf of Michelle and me I want to thank St. Xavier’s University. I want to thank
Rector DeSouza. I want to thank Principal -- I want to get this right -- Mascarenhas.
(Laughter.) But it’s a little smoother than that, when you say it. I want to thank Vice
Principal Amonka and all of you for being such gracious hosts.
And I know it’s hot out here today. For you to be so patient with me, I’m very grateful to
you. I also want to thank the city of Mumbai and the people of India for giving us such an
extraordinary welcome.
In a few minutes, I’ll take some questions. I come here not just to speak, but also to
listen. I want to have a dialogue with you. And this is one of the wonderful things that I
have a chance to do as President of the United States. When I travel, we always try to set
up a town hall meeting where we can interact with the next generation, because I want to
hear from you. I want to find out what your dreams are, what your fears are, what your
plans are for your country.
But if you will indulge me, I also want to say a few words about why I’m so hopeful about
the partnership between our two countries and why I wanted to spend some of my time here
in India speaking directly to young people like yourselves.
Now, as Michelle said, we have both looked forward to this visit to India for quite some
time. We have an extraordinary amount of respect for the rich and diverse civilization that
has thrived here for thousands of years. We’ve drawn strength from India’s 20th century
independence struggle, which helped inspire America’s own civil rights movement. We’ve
marveled at India’s growing economy and it’s dynamic democracy. And we have personally
enjoyed a wonderful friendship with Prime Minister Singh and Mrs. Kaur, over the last two
years.
But of course, I’m not just here to visit. I’m here because the partnership between India
and the United States I believe has limitless potential to improve the lives of both Americans
and Indians, just as it has the potential to be an anchor of security and prosperity and
progress for Asia and for the world.
The U.S.-India relationship will be indispensible in shaping the 21st century. And the
reason why is simple: As two great powers and as the world’s two largest democracies, the
United States and India share common interests and common values -- values of self-
determination and equality; values of tolerance and a belief in the dignity of every human
being.
Already on this trip, I’ve seen those shared interests and values firsthand. We share a
commitment to see that the future belongs to hope, and not fear. And I was honored to stay
at the Taj Hotel, the site of the 26/11 attacks, and yesterday, in meetings with some of the
survivors, I saw firsthand the resilience of the Indian people in overcoming tragedy, just as I
reaffirmed our close cooperation in combating terrorism and violent extremism in all of its
forms.
We also share struggles for justice and equality. I was humbled to visit Mani Bhavan,
where Gandhi helped move India and the world through the strength and dignity of his
leadership.
We share a commitment to see that this era after globalization leads to greater opportunity
for all our people. And so yesterday, at a summit of business leaders and entrepreneurs, we
discussed the potential for greater economic cooperation between our two countries --
cooperation that could create jobs and opportunity through increased trade and investment,
unleashing the potential of individuals in both our countries. And even as we are countries
that look to the future with optimism, Americans and Indians draw strength from tradition
and from faith.
This morning, Michelle and I enjoyed the chance to join young people here in Mumbai to
celebrate Diwali -- a holiday that is observed not just here in India but also in the United
States, where millions of Indian-Americans have enriched our country. I have to point out,
by the way, those of you who had a chance to see Michelle dance, she was moving.
(Laughter.) And it was just an extraordinary gift for these young people to perform and
share this wonderful tradition with us.
Tomorrow in New Delhi, I’ll have the opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Singh and
many other leaders, and I’ll have the privilege to address your parliament. And there I will
discuss in greater detail our efforts to broaden and deepen our cooperation and make some
specific announcements on important issues like counterterrorism and regional security, on
clean energy and climate change, and on the advance of economic growth and development
and democracy around the globe.
Just as the sites I’ve seen and the people I’ve met here in Mumbai speak to our common
humanity, the common thread that runs through the different issues that our countries
cooperate on is my determination to take the partnership between our two countries to an
entirely new level. Because the United States does not just believe, as some people say,
that India is a rising power; we believe that India has already risen. India is taking its
rightful place in Asia and on the global stage. And we see India’s emergence as good for the
United States and good for the world.
But India’s future won’t simply be determined by powerful CEOs and political leaders --
just as I know that the ties among our people aren’t limited to contacts between our
corporations and our governments. And that’s why I wanted to speak to all of you today,
because India’s future will be determined by you and by young people like you across this
country. You are the future leaders. You are the future innovators and the future educators.
You’re the future entrepreneurs and the future elected officials.
In this country of more than a billion people, more than half of all Indians are under 30
years old. That’s an extraordinary statistic and it’s one that speaks to a great sense of
possibility -- because in a democracy like India’s -- or America’s -- every single child holds
within them the promise of greatness. And every child should have the opportunity to
achieve that greatness.
Most of you are probably close to 20 years old. Just think how the world has changed in
those 20 years. India’s economy has grown at a breathtaking rate. Living standards have
improved for hundreds of millions of people. Your democracy has weathered assassination
and terrorism. And meanwhile, around the globe, the Cold War is a distant memory and a
new order has emerged, one that’s reflected in the 20 members of the G20 that will come
together in Seoul next week, as countries like India assume a greater role on the world
stage.
So now the future of this country is in your hands. And before I take your questions, I
want you to consider three questions I have for you -- questions about what the next 20
years will bring. First, what do you want India to look like in 20 years? Nobody else can
answer this question but you. It’s your destiny to write. One of the great blessings of living
in a democracy is that you can always improve the democracy. As our Founding Fathers
wrote in the United States, you can always forge a more perfect union.
But if you look at India’s last 20 years, it’s hard not to see the future with optimism. You
have the chance to lift another several hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, grow
even more this enormous middle class that can fuel growth in this country and beyond. You
have the chance to take on greater responsibilities on the global stage while playing a
leading role in this hugely important part of the world.
And together with the United States, you can also seize the opportunities afforded by our
times: the clean energy technologies that can power our lives and save our planet; the
chance to reach new frontiers in outer space; the research and development that can lead to
new industry and a higher standard of living; the prospect of advancing the cause of peace
and pluralism in our own countries but also beyond our borders.
Which brings me to a second question. Twenty years from now, what kind of partnership
do you want to have with America? Just before I came to speak to all of you today, I visited
two expos right in another courtyard here that underscore the kind of progress we can make
together. The first focused on agriculture and food security, and I was able to see
innovations in technology and research, which are transforming Indian farming.
A farmer showed me how he can receive crop information on his cell phone. Another
showed me how tools appropriately sized and weighted for women are helping her and other
female farmers increase their productivity. Many of these innovations are the result of
public and private collaborations between the United States and India, the same
collaboration that helped produce the first Green Revolution in the 1960s.
And tomorrow, I will be discussing with Prime Minister Singh how we can advance the
cooperation in the 21st century -- not only to benefit India, not only to benefit the United
States, but to benefit the world. India can become a model for countries around the world
that are striving for food security.
The second expo I toured focused on the ways that innovation is empowering Indian
citizens to ensure that democracy delivers for them. So I heard directly from citizens in a
village hundreds of miles away, through e-panchayat. I saw new technologies and
approaches that allow citizens to get information, or to fight corruption, monitor elections,
find out whether their elected official is actually going to work, holding government
accountable.
And while these innovations are uniquely India’s, their lessons can be applied around the
world. So earlier this year, at the U.N., I called for a new focus on open societies that
support open government and highlighted their potential to strengthen the foundation of
freedoms in our own countries, while living up to the ideals that can light the world. And
that's what India is starting do with some of this innovation.
We must remember that in some places the future of democracy is still very much in
question. Just to give you an example, there are elections that are being held right now in
Burma that will be anything but free and fair based on every report that we’re seeing. And
for too long the people of Burma have been denied the right to determine their own destiny.
So even as we do not impose any system of government on other countries, we,
especially young people, must always speak out for those human rights that are universal,
and the right of people everywhere to make their own decisions about how to shape their
future, which will bring me to my final question, and then you guys can start sending
questions my way.
How do you -- how do each of you want to make the world a better place? Keep in mind
that this is your world to build, your century to shape. And you’ve got a powerful example of
those who went before you. Just as America had the words and deeds of our Founding
Fathers to help chart a course towards freedom and justice and opportunity, India has this
incredible history to draw on, millennia of civilization, the examples of leaders like Gandhi
and Nehru.
As I stood in Mani Bhavan, I was reminded that Martin Luther King made his own
pilgrimage to that site over 50 years ago. In fact, we saw the book that he had signed.
After he returned home, King said that he was struck by how Gandhi embodied in his life
certain universal principles that are inherent in the moral structure of the universe, and
these principles are as inescapable as the law of gravitation.
You have that power within you. You, too, must embody those principles. For even
within this time of great progress, there are great imperfections, the injustice of oppression,
the grinding punishment of poverty, the scourge of violent extremism and war. King and
Gandhi made it possible for all of us to be here today -- me as a President, you as a citizen of
a country that's made remarkable progress. Now you have the opportunity and the
responsibility to also make this plant a better place.
And as you do, you’ll have the friendship and partnership of the United States, because we
are interested in advancing those same universal principles that are as inescapable as the
law of gravitation.
The lives that you lead will determine whether that opportunity is extended to more of the
world’s people -- so that a child who yearns for a better life in rural India or a family that's
fled from violence in Africa, or a dissident who sits in a Burmese prison, or a community that
longs for peace in war-torn Afghanistan -- whether they are able to achieve their dreams.
And sometimes the challenges may be incredibly hard, and in the face of darkness, we
may get discouraged. But we can always draw on the light of those who came before us. I
hope you keep that light burning within you, because together the United States and India
can shape a century in which our own citizens and the people of the world can claim the
hope of a better life.
So thank you very much for your patience. And now you can take Michelle’s advice and
ask me some tough questions. Thank you very much. (Applause.)
So we have I think people in the audience with microphones, and so when they come up,
if you could introduce yourself -- love to know who you are. And we'll start with that young
lady right over there.
Q Hi, good day, sir. Hi, my name is Anna and I’m from St. Davis College. My question
to you is, what is your take on opinion about jihad, or jihadi? Whatever is your opinion, what
do you think of them?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, the phrase jihad has a lot of meanings within Islam and is subject to
a lot of different interpretations. But I will say that, first, Islam is one of the world’s great
religions. And more than a billion people who practice Islam, the overwhelming majority
view their obligations to their religion as ones that reaffirm peace and justice and fairness
and tolerance. I think all of us recognize that this great religion in the hands of a few
extremists has been distorted to justify violence towards innocent people that is never
justified.
And so I think one of the challenges that we face is how do we isolate those who have
these distorted notions of religious war and reaffirm those who see faiths of all sorts --
whether you are a Hindu or a Muslim or a Christian or a Jew or any other religion, or your
don't practice a religion -- that we can all treat each other with respect and mutual dignity,
and that some of the universal principles that Gandhi referred to -- that those are what we’re
living up to, as we live in a nation or nations that have very diverse religious beliefs.
And that's a major challenge. It’s a major here in India, but it’s a challenge obviously
around the world. And young people like yourselves can make a huge impact in reaffirming
that you can be a stronger observer of your faith without putting somebody else down or
visiting violence on somebody else.
I think a lot of these ideas form very early. And how you respond to each other is going
to be probably as important as any speech that a President makes in encouraging the kinds
of religious tolerance that I think is so necessary in a world that's getting smaller and
smaller, where more and more people of different backgrounds, different races, different
ethnicities are interacting and working and learning from each other.
And those circumstances -- I think all of us have to fundamentally reject the notion that
violence is a way to mediate our differences.
All right. Yes, I may not get to every question. I’ll call on this young man right here.
Right there, yes.
Q Good morning, sir. My name is Jehan (phonetic). I’m from H.R. College. So my
question is more about spirituality and moral values. We see today in today’s world, there
more of a materialistic frame of thought when it comes to generations -- budding
generations. So what do you believe is a possible methodology which governments, rather
yours or any other governments in the world, they can adopt to basically incorporate the
human core values, the moral values of selflessness, brotherhood, over the materialistic
frame of thought which people work by today?
THE PRESIDENT: It’s a terrific question and I’m glad you’re asking it. India is making
enormous progress in part because, like America, it has this incredible entrepreneurial
talent, entrepreneurial spirit. And I think we should not underestimate how liberating
economic growth can be for a country.
In the United States, I used to work with a lot of churches when I was still a community
organizer, before I went to law school. And one of the common phrases among the pastors
there was, it’s hard to preach to an empty stomach. It’s hard to preach to an empty
stomach. If people have severe, immediate material needs -- shelter, food, clothing -- then
that is their focus. And economic growth and development that is self-sustaining can
liberate people, allow them -- it forms the basis for folks to get an education and to expand
their horizons. And that's all for the good.
So I don't want any person here to be dismissive of a healthy materialism because in a
country like India, there’s still a lot of people trapped in poverty. And you should be working
to try to lift folks out of poverty, and companies and businesses have a huge role in making
that happen.

Now, having said that, if all you’re thinking about is material wealth, then I think that
shows a poverty of ambition. When I was visiting Gandhi’s room, here in Mumbai, it was
very telling that the only objects in the room were a mat and a spinning wheel and some
sandals and a few papers. And this is a man who changed history like probably no one else
in the 20th century in terms of the number of lives that he affected. And he had nothing,
except an indomitable spirit.

So everyone has a role to play. And those of you who are planning to go into business, I
think it’s wonderful that you’re going into business and you should pursue it with all your
focus and energy. Those of you, though, who are more inclined to teach or more inclined to
public service, you should also feel encouraged that you are playing just as critical a role.
And whatever occupation you choose, giving back to the community and making sure that
you’re reaching back to help people, lift up people who may have been left behind, that’s a
solemn obligation.
And by the way, it’s actually good for you. It’s good for your spirit. It’s good for your own
moral development. It will make you a happier person, knowing that you’ve given back and
you’ve contributed something.
Last point I would make -- I think this is another thing that India and the United States
share, is there’s a healthy skepticism about public servants, particularly electoral politics. In
the United States, people generally have -- hold politicians in fairly low esteem -- sometimes
for good reason, but some of it is just because the view is that somehow government can’t
do anything right. And here in India, one of the big impediments to development is the fact
that in some cases the private sector is moving much faster than the public sector is
moving.
And I would just suggest that I hope some of you decide to go ahead and get involved in
public service -- which can be frustrating. It can be, at times, slow -- you don’t see progress
as quickly as you’d like. But India is going to need you not just as businessmen but also as
leaders who are helping to reduce bureaucracy and make government more responsive and
deliver services more efficiently. That’s going to be just as important in the years to come.
Because otherwise you’re going to get a imbalance where some are doing very well but
broad-based economic growth is not moving as quickly as it could.
Excellent question.
I’m going to go boy-girl-boy-girl, or girl-boy-girl-boy, just to make sure it’s fair. Let’s see.
This young lady right there -- yes.
Q Hello. I actually wanted to ask you -- you mention Mahatma Gandhi a lot usually in
your speeches. So I was just wondering how exactly do you implement his principles and his
values in your day-to-day life, and how do you expect the people in the U.S. to live in those
values? Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, it’s a terrific question. Let me say, first of all, that he, like Dr.
King, like Abraham Lincoln, are people who I’m constantly reading and studying, and I find
myself falling woefully short of their example all the time. So I’m often frustrated by how far
I fall short of their example.
But I do think that at my best, what I’m trying to do is to apply principles that
fundamentally come down to something shared in all the world’s religions, which is to see
yourself in other people; to understand the inherent worth and dignity of every individual,
regardless of station, regardless of rank, regardless of wealth, and to absolutely value and
cherish and respect that individual; and then hopefully, try to take that principle of treating
others as you would want to be treated and find ways where that can apply itself in
communities and in cities and in states and ultimately in a country and in the world.
As I said, I often find myself falling short of that ideal. But I tend to judge any particular
policy based on, is this advancing that spirit; that it’s helping individuals realize their
potential; that it’s making sure that all children are getting an education -- so that I’m not
just worrying about my children; that I’m thinking, first and foremost, about the United
States of America, because that’s my responsibility as President, but I’m also recognizing
that we are in an interrelationship with other countries in the world and I can’t ignore an
abuse of human rights in another country. I can’t ignore hardships that may be suffering --
that may be suffered by somebody of a different nationality.
That I think more than anything is what I carry with me on a day-to-day basis. But it’s
not always apparent that I’m making progress on that front.
One of the other things I draw from all great men and women, like a Gandhi, though, is that
on this journey you’re going to experience setbacks and you have to be persistent and
stubborn, and you just have to keep on going at it. And you’ll never roll the boulder all the
way up the hill but you may get it part of the way up.
This gentleman in the blue shirt. Do we have a microphone? Oh, here we go. Thanks.
Q Good afternoon, Mr. President.
THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon.
Q It’s an honor to question you. What my question would be is, when you were being
elected as President, one of the words you used a lot was “change.” After your midterm
election, the midterm -- it seems that the American people have asked for a change. The
change that you will make, how exactly is it going to affect young India, people from my
generation?
THE PRESIDENT: That’s an interesting question.
Q Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: The United States has gone through probably the toughest two years
economically as we’ve gone through since the 1930s. I mean, this was a profound financial
crisis and economic shock, and it spilled over to most of the world. India weathered it better
than many countries. But most of the work that I did with Prime Minister Singh in the first
two years in the G20, we were focused on making sure that the world’s financial system
didn’t collapse.

And although we’ve now stabilized the economy, unemployment in the United States is
very high now relative to what it typically has been over the last several decades. And so
people are frustrated. And although we’re making progress, we’re not making progress
quickly enough.
And one of the wonderful things about democracy is that when the people are not happy,
it is their right, obligation, and duty to express their unhappiness, much to the regret
sometimes of incumbents. But that’s a good thing. That’s a healthy thing.
And my obligation is to make sure that I stick to the principles and beliefs and ideas that
will move America forward -- because I profoundly believe that we have to invest in
education, that that will be the primary driver of growth in the future; that we’ve got to
invest in a strong infrastructure; that we have to make sure that we are taking advantage of
opportunities like clean energy.
But it also requires me to make some midcourse corrections and adjustments. And how
those play themselves out over the next several months will be a matter of me being in
discussions with the Republican Party, which is now going to be controlling the House of
Representatives. And there are going to be areas where we disagree and hopefully there
are going to be some areas where we agree.
Now, you asked specifically, how do I think it will affect policy towards India. I actually
think that the United States has a enormous fondness for India, partly because there are so
many Indian-Americans and because of the shared values that we have. And so there is a
strong bipartisan belief that India is going to be a critical partner with the United States in
the 21st century. That was true when George Bush was President. That was true when Bill
Clinton was President. It was true under Democratic and Republican control of Congress.
So I don’t think that fundamental belief is going to be altered in any significant way. I do
think that one of the challenges that we’re going to be facing in the United States is at a
time when we’re still recovering from this crisis, how do we respond to some of the
challenges of globalization? Because the fact of the matter is, is that for most of my lifetime
-- I’ll turn 50 next year -- for most of my lifetime, the United States was such a dominant
economic power, we were such a large market, our industry, our technology, our
manufacturing was so significant that we always met the rest of the world economically on
our terms. And now, because of the incredible rise of India and China and Brazil and other
countries, the United States remains the largest economic and the largest market but
there’s real competition out there.
And that's potentially healthy. It makes -- Michelle was saying earlier I like tough
questions because it keeps me on my toes. Well, this will keep America on its toes. And I'm
positive we can compete because we've got the most open, most dynamic entrepreneurial
culture; we've got some of the finest universities in the world; incredible research and
technology. But it means that we're going to have to compete.
And I think that there’s going to be a tug of war within the United States between those who
see globalization as a threat and want to retrench, and those who accept that we live in a
open, integrated world which has challenges and opportunities and we've got to manage
those challenges and manage those opportunities, but we shouldn’t be afraid of them.
And so what that means, for example, is on issues of trade, part of the reason I'm
traveling through Asia this week is I believe that the United States will grow and prosper if
we are trading with Asia. It’s the fastest-growing region in the world. We want access to
your markets. We think we've got good products to sell; you think that you’ve got good
products to sell us. This can be a win-win situation.
So I want to make sure that we're here because this will create jobs in the United States
and it can create jobs in India. But that means that we've got to negotiate this changing
relationship. Back in the 1960s or ‘70s, the truth is the American economy could be open
even if our trading partners’ economies weren’t open. So if India was protecting certain
sectors of its economy, it didn’t really have such a big effect on us. We didn’t need
necessarily reciprocity because our economy was so much larger.
Well, now, things have changed. So it’s not unfair for the United States to say, look, if
our economy is open to everybody, countries that trade with us have to change their
practices to open up their markets to us. There has to be reciprocity in our trading
relationship. And if we can have those kinds of conversations, fruitful, constructive
conversations about how we produce win-win situations, then I think we'll be fine.
If the American people feel that trade is just a one-way street, where everybody is selling
to the enormous U.S. market but we can never sell what we make anywhere else, then
people in the United States will start thinking, well, this is a bad deal for us. And that could
end up leading to a more protectionist instinct in both parties -- not just among Democrats,
but also among Republicans. So that's what we have to guard against.
All right, it’s a young lady’s turn. This young lady with the glasses -- yes.
Q A very warm welcome to you to India, sir. ]
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you so much.
Q I'm from H.R. College of Commerce and Economics. We were the privileged college
to host Mr. Otis Moss this January. Sir, my question to you is why is Pakistan so important an
ally to America, so far as America has never called it a terrorist state?
THE PRESIDENT: Well -- no, no, it’s a good question. And I must admit I was expecting
it. (Laughter.) Pakistan is an enormous country. It is a strategically important country not
just for the United States but for the world. It is a country whose people have enormous
potential, but it is also, right now, a country that within it has some of the extremist
elements that we discussed in the first question. That's not unique to Pakistan, but
obviously it exists in Pakistan.
The Pakistani government is very aware of that. And what we have tried to do over the
last several years, certainly -- I'll just speak to my foreign policy -- has been to engage
aggressively with the Pakistani government to communicate that we want nothing more
than a stable, prosperous, peaceful Pakistan, and that we will work with the Pakistani
government in order to eradicate this extremism that we consider a cancer within the
country that can potentially engulf the country.
And I will tell you that I think the Pakistani government understands now the potential
threat that exists within their own borders. There are more Pakistanis who’ve been killed by
terrorists inside Pakistan than probably anywhere else.
Now, progress is not as quick as we’d like, partly because when you get into, for
example, some of the Northwest Territories, these are very -- this is very difficult terrain,
very entrenched. The Pakistani army has actually shifted some of its emphasis and focus
into those areas. But that's not originally what their armed forces were designed to do, and
so they’re having to adapt and adjust to these new dangers and these new realities.
I think there is a growing recognition -- but it’s something that doesn’t happen overnight
-- of what a profound problem this is. And so our feeling has been to be honest and
forthright with Pakistan, to say we are your friend, this is a problem and we will help you, but
the problem has to be addressed.
Now, let me just make this point, because obviously the history between India and
Pakistan is incredibly complex and was born of much tragedy and much violence. And so it
may be surprising to some of you to hear me say this, but I am absolutely convinced that
the country that has the biggest stake in Pakistan’s success is India. I think that if Pakistan
is unstable, that's bad for India. If Pakistan is stable and prosperous, that's good.
Because India is on the move. And it is absolutely in your interests, at a time when
you're starting to succeed in incredible ways on the global economic stage, that you [don’t]
want the distraction of security instability in your region. So my hope is, is that over time
trust develops between the two countries, that dialogue begins -- perhaps on less
controversial issues, building up to more controversial issues -- and that over time there’s a
recognition that India and Pakistan can live side by side in peace and that both countries can
prosper.
That will not happen tomorrow. But I think that needs to be our ultimate goal.
And by the way, the United States stands to be a friend and a partner in that process, but
we can't impose that on India and Pakistan. Ultimately, India and Pakistan have to arrive at
their own understandings in terms of how the relationship evolves.
Okay. I've got time for one more question. It’s a guy’s turn. This young man right here,
in the striped shirt.
 Q Good afternoon, Mr. President. It’s an absolute honor to hear you, and I must say
this, that one day I hope I be half as good as a leader as you are today.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, you're very kind. Thank you.
Q Mr. President, my question relates to your Afghanistan policy. In light of your
statements that the troop withdrawal would start in 2011, there have been recent
developments that would indicate that USA has been in talks with Taliban so as to strike out
a stable government in Afghanistan as when you withdraw. Now, does this point to the
acceptance of the inevitability of the U.S. to fulfill the vision which they had, with which they
invaded Afghanistan in 2001? Does it point out to their inability to take a military control of
all the southern regions so that we can install a stable government? You notice that in Iraq
where there’s a lot of instability now. So does it point to a sort of tacit acceptance of U.S.
inability to create harmony in Afghanistan?
THE PRESIDENT: First of all, I want to just unpack some of the assumptions inside the
question because they were broadly based in fact, but I want to be very precise here.
I have said that starting in the summer of next year, July 2011, we will begin drawing
down our troop levels, but we will not be removing all our troops. Keep in mind that we
ramped up significantly because the idea was that for seven years we had just been in a
holding pattern; we’d had just enough troops to keep Kabul intact but the rest of the
countryside was deteriorating in fairly significant ways. There wasn’t a real strategy. And
my attitude was, I don't want to, seven years from now, or eight years from now, be in the
exact same situation. That's not a sustainable equilibrium.
So I said, let’s put more troops in to see if we can create more space and stability and
time for Afghan security forces to develop, and then let’s begin drawing down our troops as
we’re able to stand up Afghan security forces.
Now, in fact, it turns out that in Iraq -- you mentioned Iraq as a parallel -- in Iraq, we have
been relatively successful in doing that. The government is taking way too long to get
formed, and that is a source of frustration to us and I’m sure to the Iraq people. Having said
that, though, if you think about it, it’s been seven months since the election, and violence
levels are actually lower in Iraq than they’ve been just about any time since the war started
-- at a time when we pulled back our forces significantly. So it shows that it is possible to
train effective, indigenous security forces so that they can provide their own security. And
hopefully politics then resolves differences, as opposed to violence.
Now, Afghan, I think is actually more complicated, more difficult, probably because it’s a
much poorer country. It does not have as strong a tradition of a central government. Civil
service is very underdeveloped. And so I think that the pace at which we’re drawing down is
going to be determined in part by military issues, but it’s also going to be determined by
politics. And that is, is it possible for a sizeable portion of the Pashtun population in
Afghanistan that may be teetering back and forth between Taliban or a central government,
is it possible for them to feel that their ethnicity, their culture, their numerical position in the
country is adequately represented, and can they do that within the context of a broader
constitutional Afghan government.
And I think that's a worthy conversation to have. So what we’ve said to President Karzai
-- because this is being initiated by him -- what we’ve said is if former Taliban members or
current Taliban members say that they are willing to disassociate themselves with al Qaeda,
renounce violence as a means of achieving their political aims, and are willing to respect the
Afghan constitution so that, for example, women are treated with all the right that men are
afforded, then, absolutely, we support the idea of a political resolution of some of these
differences.
Now, there are going to be some elements that are affiliated to the Taliban that are also
affiliated with al Qaeda or LT or these other organizations, these extremists that are
irreconcilable. They will be there. And there will need to be a military response to those
who would perpetrate the kind of violence that we saw here in Mumbai in a significant
ongoing way -- or the kind that we saw on 9/11 in New York City.
But I think a stable Afghanistan is achievable. Will it look exactly as I might design a
democracy? Probably not. It will take on an Afghan character.
I do think that there are lessons that India has to show not just countries like Afghanistan
but countries in sub-Saharan Africa. I mean, some of the incredible work that I saw being
done in the agricultural sector is applicable to widely dispersed rural areas in a place like
Afghanistan and could -- I promise you, if we can increase farmers’ yields in Afghanistan by
20 percent or 25 percent, and they can get their crops to market, and they’re cutting out a
middleman and they’re ending up seeing a better standard of life for themselves, that goes
a long way in encouraging them to affiliate with a modern world.
And so India’s investment in development in Afghanistan is appreciated. Pakistan has to
be a partner in this process. In fact, all countries in the region are going to be partners in
this process. And the United States welcomes that. We don’t think we can do this alone.
But part of our -- and this is probably a good way to end -- part of my strong belief is that
around the world, your generation is poised to solve some of my generation’s mistakes and
my parents’ generation’s mistakes. You’ll make your own mistakes, but there’s such
incredible potential and promise for you to start pointing in new directions in terms of how
economies are organized, in terms of how moral precepts and values and principles are
applied, in how nations work together to police each other so that they’re not -- so that when
there’s genocide or there is ethnic cleansing, or there are gross violations of human rights,
that an international community joins together and speaks with one voice; so that economic
integration isn’t a source of fear or anxiety, but rather is seen as enormous promise and
potential; where we’re able to tackle problems that we can’t solve by ourselves.
I went to a lower school -- do you call them high schools here? It’s sort of a high school.
And Michelle and I saw this wonderful exhibit of global warming and the concerns that these
young people have -- they were 14, 15. And their energy and their enthusiasm was
infectious. And I asked them, which one of you are going to be scientists who are going to
try to solve this problem? And all of them raised their hands. And I said, well, this is hugely
important for India. And they said, no, not for India -- for the world.
You see, their ambitions were not just to be great scientists for India. Their ambition was to
be a great scientist for the world -- because they understood that something like climate
change or clean energy, that’s not an American problem or an Indian problem -- that’s a
human problem. And all of us are going to have to be involved in finding solutions to it.
And as I listen to all of you, with your wonderful questions, I am incredibly optimistic and
encouraged that you will help find those solutions in the years to come.
So, thank you very much for your hospitality. Thank you, everybody. (Applause.)
END 12:45 P.M. IST

Remarks by the President at Open Government and Technology Exposition

St. Xavier College, Mumbai, India
11:15 A.M. IST

THE PRESIDENT: Well, here’s the good news, is that in the United States we are trying to
do some of the same things that you’re doing -- trying to make government more
transparent, trying to make government more accountable, trying to make government
more efficient. And one of the incredible benefits of the technology we’re seeing right here
is that in many ways India may be in a position to leapfrog some of the intermediate stages
of government service delivery, avoiding some of the 20th century mechanisms for
delivering services and going straight to the 21st.

But many of the issues that you’re talking about here are ones that we’re trying to apply
in the United States, as well. For example, in many rural areas in the United States, it’s hard
sometimes to get to a hospital. Even though the infrastructure may be better developed,
there’s still significant distances. And to the extent that we can use technology to provide
people with basic health information, in some cases simple diagnoses, that can save people
time, it can save the government money, and we can end up with better health outcomes.
And obviously the same applies for all the services you mentioned.
 So I want to congratulate all of you for doing the terrific work. And I look forward to
watching this terrific experiment in democracy continue to expand all throughout India, and
you’ll be a model for countries around the world.

END 11:17 A.M. IST

Remarks by the President in Meeting with CEOs in Mumbai, India
Oberoi Hotel, Mumbai, India
5:10 P.M. IST

THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you very much, everybody, for joining us. I’m going to be
very brief here today. This is partly because I’ve got a long speech that will immediately
follow this.
But as I emphasized before I left the United States, one of the biggest priorities on this
trip is to highlight the degree to which U.S. economic success, U.S. job creation, U.S.
economic growth is going to be tied to our working with, cooperating with, establishing
commercial ties with the fastest-growing economies in the world. And no country represents
that promise of a strong, vibrant commercial relationship more acutely than India.
Obviously anybody who comes to Mumbai is struck by the incredible energy and drive
and entrepreneurial spirit that exists here. This is a commercial town and this is a
increasingly commercial nation. And it is so important for not just U.S. companies but U.S.
workers to recognize these incredible opportunities and hopefully for Indian workers and
Indian companies to recognize the opportunities for them as well.
So often when we talk about trade and commercial relationships, the question is who’s
winning and who’s losing. This is a classic situation in which we can all win. And I’m going
to make it one of my primary tasks during the next three days to highlight all the various
ways in which we’ve got an opportunity I think to put Americans back to work, see India
grow its infrastructure, its networks, its capacity to continue to grow at a rapid pace. And
we can do that together, but only if both sides recognize these opportunities.
So rather than speak about these possibilities in the abstract, I’ve been having a terrific
conversation with some U.S. CEOs who are already doing a lot of work here in India. I just
had a chance to meet some young Indian entrepreneurs, as well as U.S. and Indian
companies that are joint-venturing to take U.S. technology and apply it in new ways here in
India, using new business and innovative business models.
But what I’m really excited about is the fact that we’re actually doing some business
while we’re here. And so before I turn it over to some of the companies, I’d like Minister
Sharma to just say a few words and thank him and the entire Indian government for the
incredible hospitality that’s already been shown to me during the few hours since I’ve
arrived, and I’m very much looking forward to the remaining days ahead.
MINISTER SHARMA: Thank you, Excellency, President Obama. I’m very privileged to
welcome you on behalf of the government and people of the Republic of India. Your visit
has a special significance, because after many missed opportunities in our engagement as
two nations, there has been a historic embrace.
We watched with admiration your election, your commitment, your references to the
values espoused by the father of the Indian nation, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, the
civil rights movement, and to speak for human dignity and the values associated.
Our two countries share a lot. And in the 21st century, there are expectations that these
two countries, which have a shared commitment to democracy, to human rights, pluralistic
society, multicultural, multireligious, multiethnic, can define the course, as the global
architecture, political and economic, changes.
We welcome what you have said as you embarked for India about doubling the trade,
but also increase jobs. By enhanced economic engagement both will happen. India has
reached a stage where I can say not with optimism but without any hesitation that this is a
country of limitless opportunities for your industry, for your investors to engage in.
 At the same time, both our countries are fortunate that we have human resources. U.S.
has institutions, U.S. has strengths in innovation, in high-end technologies, and it can be
greatly rewarding for both our countries.
My Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, and the chairperson of the ruling coalition,
Sonia Gandhi, has specifically asked me to convey the warm greetings and welcome to you.
We hope your visit will be a path-breaking one, clearly defining the road map of the
cooperation between the two big democracies of the world.
Thank you.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you so much.
With that, what I’d like to do is to provide an opportunity for Jeff Immelt and Anil Ambani
to talk about work that General Electric and Reliance are going to be doing together. And
then I’ll turn it over to representatives of Boeing and SpiceJet to talk about the terrific
partnership that they’re forging. These are two wonderful examples of how the
collaboration and commercial ties between India and the United States are resulting directly
in economic benefits in both countries and jobs in both countries.
So, Jeff, why don’t we start with you?
MR. IMMELT: Thanks, Mr. President. First, I’d like to say thanks for having all of us here
today. All of us believe very much in the strategy of doubling exports in the next five years.
We’ve all lived the world of globalization and know that it’s not a zero-sum game, that it
creates jobs in the United States and also creates jobs in India.
We believe in the Indian market. We think that the coming years are going to represent
great opportunity for India and that the U.S. should be a part of that. And so we’re quite
excited to be here today.
There will be a trillion dollars -- a trillion dollars invested in infrastructure in India. The
need is vast. My first trip to India was 25 years ago. There was a shortage of electricity.
I’m happy to say, 25 years later, there’s still a shortage of electricity. (Laughter.) I view
that as a business opportunity for GE, and we plan to capitalize on our share of that trillion-
dollar opportunity in energy.
One of our big customers is Reliance Energy, run by Anil Ambani, one of the best-known
Indian CEOs. In the case that we’re going to announce today or commemorate today is an
order of 2,400 megawatts of gas turbine technology. This is the most modern technology to
this date. It is manufactured in Greenville, South Carolina. This order will support 3,000
jobs in the United States in New York State and in South Carolina, among our thousands of
suppliers. It’s the largest gas turbine order in the history of India.
Anil is in the lead of all of this as being one of the major power providers. It also
provides for the Indian citizens clean electricity, availability to electricity, and we think it’s
among the leading edge and will continue to drive growth in the future.
I know for a fact that Anil has even greater needs in the future for more gas turbines as
well, and so I think this is just the first of many.
So we’re honored today to talk about this as a great export opportunity for GE. GE also
creates many jobs in India and is committed to doing that in the future as well. And we are
very proud to have a fine partner in Reliance Energy and in Anil Ambani.
So we’re quite excited. This is really a great win-win opportunity.
MR. AMBANI: Mr. President, thank you. I thank Jeff for his kind words. I think that Jeff
effectively stole most of my speech -- (laughter) -- but what I want to bring to the attention
of people around the table is with what we’ve embarked to do with GE and other U.S.
companies in the power sector, we’ll effectively provide up to 10,000 jobs in the U.S. Jeff
gave a number of 2,500, which is for GE, and the balance is for other U.S. companies that
we are dealing with.
This would have not been possible if we didn’t have the support of the U.S. Ex-Im Bank
and I want to put on the card the support from Fred and the rest of his team at U.S. Ex-Im.
Our order for 2,500 megawatts goal which represents to be the largest in India is still the
tip of the iceberg. The power sector opportunity in India alone is $100 billion of capital
expenditure in the next five years. And it reminds me of a recent article on the front
page of the Wall Street Journal, which followed one of my visits to Shanghai last week, where
we placed a $10 billion order on the Chinese companies.
These are two exclusive parts of growth -- the gas-based part -- we can work with GE
and other U.S. companies. But the sky is the limit of future potential in terms of our
cooperation.
We’re also deeply involved in other infrastructure areas in which we should get U.S.
companies to come in and, of course, receive the support of U.S. Ex-Im. I still believe that
I’m personally biased to the U.S. because I’ve been educated in the U.S. I went to the
Wharton School, so that is a clear mental and personal bias towards dealing with the U.S.
companies.
But saying that apart, I still think that your being here today is a strong signal for us in
India. And you’ve chosen to come at a time which is Diwali, which was yesterday. And
there could not be a more auspicious moment because we believe in astrology and
palmistry -- and history. But our new year is tomorrow, so this is the best way to begin our
new year to have you here as our valued guest and to make this announcement with Jeff.
Thank you so much.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you so much, Anil. I appreciate that.
Christopher.
MR. CHADWICK: Well, thank you, Mr. President. I’m fortunate to represent Boeing who
has been doing business with India for 60 years now. Unfortunately, unlike Jeff I’ve only
been coming here five years. But I’ve come 35 times in five years. (Laughter.)
And so what I’ve found is there are a lot of similarities between India and the United
States. The culture is the same. The work ethic is the same. And we all believe in
commercial collaboration and partnerships.
We’re here with SpiceJet today to commemorate a sale of 30 new 737 next-generation
aircraft. We are proud as a Boeing company to be a partner with SpiceJet and all the
employees of Boeing -- this is an honor for them.
THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Kansagra.
MR. KANSAGRA: Thank you. Welcome, Mr. President, to India. As a fellow Kenyan, I’m
very proud to see that you have made --
THE PRESIDENT: Made something of myself. (Laughter.)
MR. KANSAGRA: -- India as the focus of your drive for exports out of the U.S. To that
effect, the 30 aircraft order, which is the second of such orders we have placed with Boeing,
will enhance SpiceJet’s penetration into the Indian low-cost travel, low-cost transportation
market, which really is the focus for SpiceJet.
Boeing has given us huge support together -- and Fred also has extended his assistance
to finance our forthcoming aircraft in the next year. That support and that partnership will
take SpiceJet and Boeing to greater heights. And your coming here to India today will only
help that day further. Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you very much.
So, just to summarize, just around this table you're seeing billions of dollars in orders
from U.S. companies, tens of thousands of jobs being supported. We're a potential that has
barely been scratched. And this is, I think, why folks back home in the United States need to
embrace the possible partnership with India -- as a democracy, one that appreciates human
rights and pluralism, one that has a entrepreneurial culture. We have an enormous
possibility to partner with them for decades to come.
And by the way, it’s not just big companies that we’re emphasizing. We just had some
terrific meetings with some start-up ventures. And I’ll just give a couple of examples. We
have an Indian entrepreneur who has purchased water filtration equipment from a U.S.
company. The U.S. company typically sold it to big plants around the country, but this
Indian entrepreneur realized getting clean water is hard in India. And he’s actually set up
franchises using the U.S. filtration equipment and franchised a hundred franchisees around
the country where they're selling clean water at a very, very cheap rate.
 It’s good for those communities. It’s good for the businesses. And it’s supporting jobs in
the United States of America. We’re seeing examples of that all across the board, but we
haven’t taken full advantage of these opportunities. And we need to.
On the Indian side, I just want to say to the people of India, every American
businessperson who comes here is thrilled, Mr. Minister, with how rapidly India is growing
and its increasing preeminence on the world stage. And I think that we want to place our
bets with India as a strong partner. And that's true not only in the private sector, as you’ve
already heard, but it’s true with the U.S. government, as well, which is why I’m so looking
forward to spending time here over the next several days.
Thank you very much, everybody.
END 5:27 P.M. IST
Remarks by the First Lady during visit with students from "Make a Difference"
program
University of Mumbai, Mumbai, India
5:36 P.M. IST
MRS. OBAMA: I love dancing. Oh, that was fun! (Applause.) We should do that again.
(Applause.) Okay, we’ll do that before we leave.
I just want to thank you all. Thank you. And I want to thank all of your teachers and
mentors. Do you know how lucky you are, just lucky and blessed, because if you keep
working hard, education is all that you need to be whatever you want to be. That's it.
I didn’t grow up with a lot of money. I mean, my parents -- I had two parents. I was
lucky to have two parents, and they always had a job, but we didn’t have a lot of money.
But it was because of working hard, and studying, and learning how to write and read, and
then I got a chance to go to college, and then college opened up the world to me, I started
seeing all these things that I could be or do, and I never even imagined being the First Lady
of the United States. But because I had an education, when the time came to do this, I was
ready.
So just remember there is nothing that you guys can’t do. You know, you have
everything it takes to be successful and smart and to raise a family, right?
What do you say? You’ve got something to say. (Laughter.)

"Mr Vice President, Madame Speaker, Mr. Prime Minister, Members of the Lok Sabha and
Rajya Sabha, and most of all, the people of India.
I thank you for the great honor of addressing the representatives of more than one billion
Indians and the world's largest democracy. I bring the greetings and friendship of the
world's oldest democracy—the U.S.A, including nearly three million proud and patriotic
Indian Americans.
Over the past three days, my wife Michelle and I have experienced the beauty and
dynamism of India and its people. From the majesty of Humayun's Tomb to the advanced
technologies that are empowering farmers and women who are the backbone of Indian
society. From a Diwali celebration with schoolchildren to the innovators who are fueling
India's economic rise. From the university students who will chart India's future, to you—
leaders who helped to bring India to this moment of promise.
At every stop, we have been welcomed with the hospitality for which Indians have always
been known. So to you and the people of India, on behalf of me, Michelle and the American
people, please accept our deepest thanks. Bahoot dhanyavad.
I am not the first American president to visit India. Nor will I be the last. But I am proud to
visit India so early in my presidency. It is no coincidence that India is my first stop on a visit
to Asia, or that this has been my longest visit to another country since becoming President.
For in Asia and around the world, India is not simply emerging; India has already emerged.
And it is my firm belief that the relationship between the United States and India—bound by
our shared interests and values—will be one of the defining partnerships of the 21st
century. This is the partnership I have come here to build. This is the vision that our nations
can realize together.
My confidence in our shared future is grounded in my respect for India's treasured past—a
civilization that has been shaping the world for thousands of years. Indians unlocked the
intricacies of the human body and the vastness of our universe. And it is no exaggeration to
say that our information age is rooted in Indian innovations—including the number zero.
India not only opened our minds, she expanded our moral imagination. With religious texts
that still summon the faithful to lives of dignity and discipline. With poets who imagined a
future "where the mind is without fear and the head is held high." And with a man whose
message of love and justice endures—the Father of your Nation, Mahatma Gandhi.
For me and Michelle, this visit has therefore held special meaning. Throughout my life,
including my work as a young man on behalf of the urban poor, I have always found
inspiration in the life of Gandhiji and in his simple and profound lesson to be the change we
seek in the world. And just as he summoned Indians to seek their destiny, he influenced
champions of equality in my own country, including a young Martin Luther King. After
making his pilgrimage to India a half century ago, Dr. King called Gandhi's philosophy of
non-violent resistance "the only logical and moral approach" in the struggle for justice and
progress.
So we were honored to visit the residence where Gandhi and King both stayed—Mani
Bhavan. We were humbled to pay our respects at Raj Ghat. And I am mindful that I might
not be standing before you today, as President of the United States, had it not been for
Gandhi and the message he shared with America and the world.
An ancient civilization of science and innovation. A fundamental faith in human progress.
This is the sturdy foundation upon which you have built ever since that stroke of midnight
when the tricolor was raised over a free and independent India. And despite the skeptics
who said that this country was simply too poor, too vast, too diverse to succeed, you
surmounted overwhelming odds and became a model to the world.
Instead of slipping into starvation, you launched a Green Revolution that fed millions.
Instead of becoming dependent on commodities and exports, you invested in science and
technology and in your greatest resource—the Indian people. And the world sees the
results, from the supercomputers you build to the Indian flag that you put on the moon.
Instead of resisting the global economy, you became one of its engines—reforming the
licensingraj and unleashing an economic marvel that has lifted tens of millions from poverty
and created one of the world's largest middle classes.
Instead of succumbing to division, you have shown that the strength of India—the very idea
of India—is its embrace of all colors, castes and creeds. It's the diversity represented in this
chamber today. It's the richness of faiths celebrated by a visitor to my hometown of
Chicago more than a century ago—the renowned Swami Vivekananda. He said that,
"holiness, purity and charity are not the exclusive possessions of any church in the world,
and that every system has produced men and women of the most exalted character."
And instead of being lured by the false notion that progress must come at the expense of
freedom, you built the institutions upon which true democracy depends—free and fair
elections, which enable citizens to choose their own leaders without recourse to arms; an
independent judiciary and the rule of law, which allows people to address their grievances;
and a thriving free press and vibrant civil society which allows every voice to be heard. And
this year, as India marks 60 years with a strong and democratic constitution, the lesson is
clear: India has succeeded, not in spite of democracy; India has succeeded because of
democracy.
Just as India has changed, so too has the relationship between our two nations. In the
decades after independence, India advanced its interests as a proud leader of the
nonaligned movement. Yet too often, the United States and India found ourselves on
opposite sides of a North-South divide and estranged by a long Cold War. Those days are
over.
Here in India, two successive governments led by different parties have recognized that
deeper partnership with America is both natural and necessary. In the United States, both
of my predecessors—one Democrat, one Republican—worked to bring us closer, leading to
increased trade and a landmark civil nuclear agreement.
Since then, people in both our countries have asked: what next? How can we build on this
progress and realize the full potential of our partnership? That is what I want to address
today—the future that the United States seeks in an interconnected world; why I believe that
India is indispensable to this vision; and how we can forge a truly global partnership—not in
just one or two areas, but across many; not just for our mutual benefit, but for the world's.
Of course, only Indians can determine India's national interests and how to advance them on
the world stage. But I stand before you today because I am convinced that the interests of
the United States—and the interests we share with India—are best advanced in partnership.
The United States seeks security—the security of our country, allies and partners. We seek
prosperity—a strong and growing economy in an open international economic system. We
seek respect for universal values. And we seek a just and sustainable international order
that promotes peace and security by meeting global challenges through stronger global
cooperation.
To advance these interests, I have committed the United States to comprehensive
engagement with the world, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. And a central
pillar of this engagement is forging deeper cooperation with 21st century centers of
influence—and that includes India. This is why I believe that India and America are
indispensable partners in meeting the challenges of our time.
Since taking office, I've therefore made our relationship a priority. I was proud to welcome
Prime Minister Singh for the first official state visit of my presidency. For the first time ever,
our governments are working together across the whole range of common challenges we
face. And let me say it as clearly as I can: the United States not only welcomes India as a
rising global power, we fervently support it, and we have worked to help make it a reality.
Together with our partners, we have made the G20 the premier forum for international
economic cooperation, bringing more voices to the table of global economic decision-
making, including India. We have increased the role of emerging economies like India at
international financial institutions. We valued India's important role at Copenhagen, where,
for the first time, all major economies committed to take action to confront climate change—
and to stand by those actions. We salute India's long history as a leading contributor to
United Nations peacekeeping missions. And we welcome India as it prepares to take its seat
on the United Nations Security Council.
In short, with India assuming its rightful place in the world, we have an historic opportunity
to make the relationship between our two countries a defining partnership of the century
ahead. And I believe we can do so by working together in three important areas.
First, as global partners we can promote prosperity in both our countries. Together, we can
create the high-tech, high-wage jobs of the future. With my visit, we are now ready to begin
implementing our civil nuclear agreement. This will help meet India's growing energy needs
and create thousands of jobs in both our countries.
We need to forge partnerships in high-tech sectors like defense and civil space. So we have
removed Indian organizations from our so-called "entity list." And we'll work to reform our
controls on exports. Both of these steps will ensure that Indian companies seeking high-tech
trade and technologies from America are treated the same as our closest allies and
partners.
We can pursue joint research and development to create green jobs; give Indians more
access to cleaner, affordable energy; meet the commitments we made at Copenhagen; and
show the possibilities of low-carbon growth.
Together, we can resist the protectionism that stifles growth and innovation. The United
States remains—and will continue to remain—one of the most open economies in the world.
And by opening markets and reducing barriers to foreign investment, India can realize its full
economic potential as well. As G20 partners, we can make sure the global economic
recovery is strong and durable. And we can keep striving for a Doha Round that is ambitious
and balanced—with the courage to make the compromises that are necessary so global
trade works for all economies.
Together, we can strengthen agriculture. Cooperation between Indian and American
researchers and scientists sparked the Green Revolution. Today, India is a leader in using
technology to empower farmers, like those I met yesterday who get free updates on market
and weather conditions on their cell phones. And the United States is a leader in agricultural
productivity and research. Now, as farmers and rural areas face the effects of climate
change and drought, we'll work together to spark a second, more sustainable Evergreen
Revolution.
Together, we're going to improve Indian weather forecasting systems before the next
monsoon season. We aim to help millions of Indian farming households save water and
increase productivity; improve food processing so crops don't spoil on the way to market;
and enhance climate and crop forecasting to avoid losses that cripple communities and
drive up food prices.
Because the wealth of a nation also depends on the health of its people, we'll continue to
support India's efforts against diseases like tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, and as global
partners, we'll work to improve global health by preventing the spread of pandemic flu. And
because knowledge is the currency of the 21st century, we'll increase exchanges between
our students, colleges and universities, which are among the best in the world.
As we work to advance our shared prosperity, we can partner to address a second priority—
our shared security. In Mumbai, I met with the courageous families and survivors of that
barbaric attack. And here in this Parliament, which was itself targeted because of the
democracy it represents, we honor the memory of all those who have been taken from us,
including American citizens on 26/11 and Indian citizens on 9/11.
This is the bond we share. It's why we insist that nothing ever justifies the slaughter of
innocent men, women and children. It's why we're working together, more closely than
ever, to prevent terrorist attacks and to deepen our cooperation even further. And it's why,
as strong and resilient societies, we refuse to live in fear, we will not sacrifice the values and
rule of law that defines us, and we will never waver in the defense of our people.
America's fight against al Qaeda and its terrorist affiliates is why we persevere in
Afghanistan, where major development assistance from India has improved the lives of the
Afghan people. We're making progress in our mission to break the Taliban's momentum and
to train Afghan forces so they can take the lead for their security. And while I have made it
clear that American forces will begin the transition to Afghan responsibility next summer, I
have also made it clear that America's commitment to the Afghan people will endure. The
United States will not abandon the people of Afghanistan—or the region—to the violent
extremists who threaten us all.
Our strategy to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al Qaeda and its affiliates has to succeed on
both sides of the border. That is why we have worked with the Pakistani government to
address the threat of terrorist networks in the border region. The Pakistani government
increasingly recognizes that these networks are not just a threat outside of Pakistan—they
are a threat to the Pakistani people, who have suffered greatly at the hands of violent
extremists.
And we will continue to insist to Pakistan's leaders that terrorist safe-havens within their
borders are unacceptable, and that the terrorists behind the Mumbai attacks be brought to
justice. We must also recognize that all of us have and interest in both an Afghanistan and a
Pakistan that is stable, prosperous and democratic—and none more so than India.
More broadly, India and the United States can partner in Asia. Today, the United States is
once again playing a leadership role in Asia—strengthening old alliances; deepening
relationships, as we are doing with China; and we're reengaging with regional organizations
like ASEAN and joining the East Asia summit—organizations in which India is also a partner.
Like your neighbors in Southeast Asia, we want India to not only "look East," we want India
to "engage East"—because it will increase the security and prosperity of all our nations.
And as two global leaders, the United States and India can partner for global security—
especially as India serves on the Security Council over the next two years. Indeed, the just
and sustainable international order that America seeks includes a United Nations that is
efficient, effective, credible and legitimate. That is why I can say today—in the years ahead,
I look forward to a reformed U.N. Security Council that includes India as a permanent
member.
Now, let me suggest that with increased power comes increased responsibility. The United
Nations exists to fulfill its founding ideals of preserving peace and security, promoting global
cooperation, and advancing human rights. These are the responsibilities of all nations, but
especially those that seek to lead in the 21st century. And so we look forward to working
with India—and other nations that aspire to Security Council membership—to ensure that
the Security Council is effective; that resolutions are implemented and sanctions enforced;
and that we strengthen the international norms which recognize the rights and
responsibilities of all nations and individuals.
This includes our responsibility to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. Since I took
office, the United States has reduced the role of nuclear weapons in our national security
strategy, and agreed with Russia to reduce our arsenals. We have put preventing nuclear
proliferation and nuclear terrorism at the top of our nuclear agenda, and strengthened the
cornerstone of the global non-proliferation regime—the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Together, the United States and India can pursue our goal of securing the world's vulnerable
nuclear materials. We can make it clear that even as every nation has the right to peaceful
nuclear energy, every nation must also meet its international obligations—and that includes
the Islamic Republic of Iran. And together, we can pursue a vision that Indian leaders have
espoused since independence—a world without nuclear weapons.
This leads me to the final area where our countries can partner—strengthening the
foundations of democratic governance, not only at home but abroad.
Now, in a new collaboration on open government, our two countries are going to share our
experience, identify what works, and develop the next-generation of tools to empower
citizens. And in another example of how American and Indian partnership can address
global challenges, we're going to share these innovations with civil society groups and
countries around the world. We're going to show that democracy, more than any other form
of government, delivers for the common man—and woman.
As the world's two largest democracies, we must also never forget that the price of our own
freedom is standing up for the freedom of others. Indians know this, for it is the story of
your nation. Before he ever began his struggle for Indian independence, Gandhi stood up
for the rights of Indians in South Africa. Just as others, including the United States,
supported Indian independence, India championed the self-determination of peoples from
Africa to Asia as they too broke free from colonialism. And along with the United States,
you've been a leader in supporting democratic development and civil society groups around
the world. This, too, is part of India's greatness.
Every country will follow its own path. No one nation has a monopoly on wisdom, and no
nation should ever try to impose its values on another. But when peaceful democratic
movements are suppressed—as in Burma—then the democracies of the world cannot remain
silent. For it is unacceptable to gun down peaceful protestors and incarcerate political
prisoners decade after decade. It is unacceptable to hold the aspirations of an entire people
hostage to the greed and paranoia of a bankrupt regime. It is unacceptable to steal an
election, as the regime in Burma has done again for all the world to see.
Faced with such gross violations of human rights, it is the responsibility of the international
community—especially leaders like the United States and India—to condemn it. If I can be
frank, in international fora, India has often avoided these issues. But speaking up for those
who cannot do so for themselves is not interfering in the affairs of other countries. It's not
violating the rights of sovereign nations. It's staying true to our democratic principles. It's
giving meaning to the human rights that we say are universal. And it sustains the progress
that in Asia and around the world has helped turn dictatorships into democracies and
ultimately increased our security in the world.
Promoting shared prosperity. Preserving peace and security. Strengthening democratic
governance and human rights. These are the responsibilities of leadership. And, as global
partners, this is the leadership that the United States and India can offer in the 21st
century. Ultimately, however, this cannot be a relationship only between presidents and
prime ministers, or in the halls of this parliament. Ultimately, this must be a partnership
between our peoples. So I want to conclude by speaking directly to the people of India
watching today.
In your lives, you have overcome odds that might have overwhelmed a lesser country. In
just decades, you have achieved progress and development that took other nations
centuries. And now you are assuming your rightful place as a leader among nations. Your
parents and grandparents imagined this. Your children and grandchildren will look back on
this. But only you—this generation of Indians—can seize the possibility of this moment.
As you carry on with the hard work ahead, I want every Indian citizen to know: the United
States of America will not simply be cheering you on from the sidelines. We will be right
there with you, shoulder to shoulder. Because we believe in the promise of India. And we
believe that the future is what we make it.
We believe that no matter who you are or where you come from, every person can fulfill
their God-given potential, just as a Dalit like Dr. Ambedkar could lift himself up and pen the
words of the Constitution that protects the rights of all Indians.
We believe that no matter where you live—whether a village in Punjab or the bylanes of
Chandni Chowk…an old section of Kolkata or a new high-rise in Bangalore—every person
deserves the same chance to live in security and dignity, to get an education, to find work,
and to give their children a better future.
And we believe that when countries and cultures put aside old habits and attitudes that
keep people apart, when we recognize our common humanity, then we can begin to fulfill
the aspirations we share. It's a simple lesson contained in that collection of stories which
has guided Indians for centuries—the Panchtantra. And it's the spirit of the inscription seen
by all who enter this great hall: 'That one is mine and the other a stranger is the concept of
little minds. But to the large-hearted, the world itself is their family."
This is the story of India; it's the story of America—that despite their differences, people can
see themselves in one another, and work together and succeed together as one proud
nation. And it can be the spirit of the partnership between our nations—that even as we
honor the histories which in different times kept us apart, even as we preserve what makes
us unique in a globalized world, we can recognize how much we can achieve together.
Thank you, Jai Hind!, and long live the partnership between India and the United States."