The speech Indians would love Modi to deliver to the US Congress

Looking ahead to Narendra Modi's historic speech to the joint session of the US Congress next week, the India Inc. team presents a draft speech of what many Indians would love the Indian Prime Minister to say about the current status of US-India relations.Hon'ble Members of the US Congress and Sisters and Brothers of AmericaIt fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given me and my delegation. This visit, my fourth as the Prime Minister of the world's largest democracy, to the country that is the world's oldest democracy, comes at a time when our two nations are enjoying the warmest phase in their 70-year-old relationship.Over the last decade and a half, and especially over the last two years, our two countries have come closer on a range of issues from economic relations to mutually beneficial strategic and military ties to finding much common ground on global trade and climate change. All this has been facilitated by the strong people-to-people contacts between our two great nations and the bonds of affection, regard and culture that our two peoples share.This closer understanding between our peoples and our governments and the shared values of individual liberty, freedom of economic choice and democracy means the United States of America and India are closer now than at any other time in history.We agree that the US and India can together be a force for the good of the world. Our business communities are cooperating across the board, incubating new technologies and creating millions of jobs that are benefiting both Americans and Indians, our academics are collaborating on cutting edge scientific and technological breakthroughs, our civil societies are coming together for the greater good of mankind, our space scientists are partnering with each other up to the furthest corners of the universe and our navies, air forces and armies are holding bilateral and multilateral joint exercises in the US, in India and in other parts of the world.Many of you, Members of this august House, as well as members of President Obama's administration and those of preceding US administrations, have played stellar roles in bringing about this transformation in our relationship and I take this historic opportunity of addressing the Joint Session of the US Congress to convey, both personally and on behalf of my one-and-a-quarter-billion fellow citizens, our sincere thanks and gratitude for your efforts.Former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee went so far as to describe our two countries as “natural allies”. While it is true that today, there is a broad strategic convergence between the US and India, many of my countrymen are asking why the US is willing to sell F-16 warplanes to a country that many US agencies have accused of harbouring, exporting and using terror as a part of state policy.Terrorism can no longer be dissected as good or bad. The time is over for phrases like: “Your terrorists are killers, my terrorists are freedom fighters.” It is this kind of sophistry that has given birth to this hydra-headed monster that is now consuming the hand that fed it.My countrymen and, indeed, strategic experts around the world have wondered how high performance warplanes can be used to fight terrorists nurtured by our neighbour. Our fear, based on our experience over the last seven decades, is that any new weapon in the arsenal of this country invariably emboldens it to step up violence against our people. We are, thus, grateful to US lawmakers for striving to make the Indian sub-continent a more peaceful place. We hope the US administration will consider our legitimate point of view and the sentiments of this House when considering similar actions in future.My government feels India has a legitimate interest and stake in finding a peaceful solution to the crisis in Afghanistan. India has invested more than $2 billion to help rebuild Afghanistan, which has been destroyed by a war encouraged, financed, planned and executed by another country. It is no secret that this country is keen on keeping India out of Afghanistan and has used every means at its disposal - I don't have to elaborate on what those were - to keep us away.We hope the US will recognise India's contribution to the peace process in Afghanistan as well as the groundswell of popular support our efforts enjoy in all its future initiatives for that region. I am certain that working together, the US and India, along with other regional players, can help the Afghan people keep their tryst with destiny.Hon'ble Members of this august House will note that every international relationship is a power relationship. Rightly has it been said that great nations don't have friends, they have interests. Friendships, if any, between countries are always defined by a convergence of interests. In the pursuit of these interests, there is a lot of give and take at work. Sometimes, countries make concessions in one area in return for gains in unrelated areas.Recently, in keeping with the increasing convergence of strategic interests, the US and India have agreed in principle to sign a Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) that will allow the militaries of the two countries to share each other's facilities. This is yet another major step towards forming what President Obama has called one of the “defining partnerships of the 21st century”.This defining partnership will gain greater traction in both our countries - and especially in India - if the US is seen to be more supportive of India's efforts to improve its economy. Recent actions by the US government, and loud election rhetoric against the entry of Indian IT professionals into the US have caused dismay back home. Then, efforts to block US companies from accessing India's low cost space launch vehicles have raised a clamour for similar protectionist measures by the Indian government.Neither of these is in keeping with the government's oft-repeated stand on free trade and greater market access. As elected representatives, all of us appreciate that that there is often a big gulf between election rhetoric and post-election policy making. At the same time, it is incumbent upon us to resolve these issues at the earliest before tit-for-tat protectionist demands get out of hand.Studies have shown that outsourcing of IT services to India improves the efficiency of American companies and adds jobs in this country. Then, the Indian diaspora in the US is widely accepted as being net creators of jobs. Their contribution to their adopted land is well documented. I, therefore, appeal to the US administration to consider meeting India a little more than halfway on trade and climate change talks.For example, my government has committed to bring electricity to every Indian village and every Indian by 2018. Currently, more than 300 million Indians do not receive any electricity. As a valued partner in our developments efforts, we expect the US to support our efforts in this regard.But the US stand on climate change and, in particular, to Indian emission caps, will make it very difficult for India to meet its thermal power targets.My government has embarked on an ambitious goal of generating 100 GW of power from solar energy by 2022. This will not only allow millions of Indians to enjoy the benefits of power, it will also help us meet our emission goals.We will really appreciate all the support we can get from the US. I hope the US will come on board as a partner in our endeavour and withdraw its complaint that our solar equipment procurement norms are not in compliance with WTO norms. Any friend would expect such a gesture and I do hope that members of this House will use their good offices to impress upon the US government to do so.These small steps will allow our countries to come even closer and iron out the small wrinkles that sometimes appears in even the warmest relationships.Let me take this opportunity to thank the bipartisan support that India now enjoys in this House and across the US political landscape. I would also like to personally thank House Speaker Paul Davis Ryan and every member of this House who graciously invited me.Thank you and may our two countries march together along a path that will spell the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the gun or with the sword, and of all uncharitable feelings between nations wending their way to the same goal.