President Obama Addresses the People of India

                    President Obama Addresses the People of India

The President:Thank you so much. Thank you so much, Neha, forwhat a wonderful introduction. (applause) Everybody, pleasehave a seat. Nothing fills me withmore hope than when I hear incredible youngpeople like Neha and all the outstanding work thatshe's doing on behalf of India's youth andfor representing this nation's energy and itsoptimism and its idealism. She makes mevery, very proud. And I'm sure -- I thinkthey may be her -- is that somebodyrelated to you? Okay. Because we just hada chance to meet, and she's beaming with prideright now sitting next to you. 

Give Neha a big roundof applause once again. (applause) Distinguished guests,ladies and gentlemen, to all the students and youngpeople who are here today, to the people of Indiawatching and listening across this vast nation --I bring the friendship and the greetings ofthe American people. On behalf of myselfand Michelle, thank you so much forwelcoming us back to India. Bahoot dhanyavad. (applause) It has been a great honorto be the first American President to join youfor Republic Day. With the tricolorwaving above us, we celebrated the strengthof your constitution. We paid tribute toIndia's fallen heroes. In yesterday's parade, we sawthe pride and the diversity of this nation -- includingthe Dare Devils on their Royal Enfields, whichwas very impressive. Secret Service does notlet me ride motorcycles. (laughter) Especiallynot on my head. (laughter) I realize that the sight ofan American President as your chief guest onRepublic Day would have once seemed unimaginable. But my visit reflects thepossibilities of a new moment.

 As I've said many times, Ibelieve that the relationship between India and theUnited States can be one of the defining partnershipsof this century. When I spoke to yourParliament on my last visit, I laid out my vision forhow our two nations can build that partnership. And today, I want tospeak directly to you -- the people of India --about what I believe we can achieve together,and how we can do it. My commitment to a newchapter between our countries flows from the deepfriendship between our people. And Michelle and Ihave felt it ourselves. I recognized India with thefirst state visit of my presidency -- where wealso danced to some pretty good Bhangra. (laughter) For the first time,we brought Diwali to the White House. On our lastcelebration here -- (applause) On our lastcelebration here, we celebrated the Festivalof Lights in Mumbai.

 We danced with some children. Unfortunately, we werenot able to schedule any dancing this visit. Senorita, bade-badedeshon mein. You know what I mean. (laughter and applause) Everybody said, by theway, how much better a dance Michellewas than me -- (laughter) -- which hurt myfeelings a little bit. (laughter) On a more personallevel, India represents an intersection of two menwho have always inspired me. When Reverend Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr. was protesting racialsegregation in the United States, he said thathis guiding light was Mahatma Gandhi. When Dr. King came to India,he said that being here -- in "Gandhi's land" --reaffirmed his conviction that in the struggle forjustice and human dignity, the most potent weapon of allis non-violent resistance. And those two great soulsare why we can gather here together today, Indians and Americans, equal and free. And there is anotherlink that binds us. More than 100 years ago, America welcomed a son of India --Swami Vivekananda. (applause) And Swami Vivekananda,he helped bring Hinduism and yoga toour country. 

And he came to my hometown of Chicago. And there, at a great gathering of religious leaders, he spoke of hisfaith and the divinity in every soul, and thepurity of love. And he began his speechwith a simple greeting: "Sisters and brothers of America." So today, let me say: Sistersand brothers of India -- (applause) -- my confidence in what our nations can achieve together is rootedin the values we share. For we may have our differenthistories and speak different languages, butwhen we look at each other, we see a reflectionof ourselves. Having thrown offcolonialism, we created constitutions that beganwith the same three words -- "we the people." As societies that celebrateknowledge and innovation, we transformed ourselvesinto high-tech hubs of the global economy. Together, we unlock newdiscoveries -- from the particles of creationto outer space -- and we are among thefew nations to have gone to both theMoon and to Mars. (applause) And here in India,this dynamism has resulted in a stunning achievement. You've lifted countlessmillions from poverty and built one of the world'slargest middle classes. And nobody embodies thisprogress and this sense of possibility more thanour young people. Empowered by technology,you are connecting and collaborating likenever before -- on Facebook and WhatsApp and Twitter. 

 And chances are, you'retalking to someone in America -- yourfriends, your cousins. The United States has thelargest Indian diaspora in the world,including some three million proud Indian-Americans. (applause) And they makeAmerica stronger, and they tie us together --bonds of family and friendship that allow us to sharein each other's success. So, for all these reasons,India and the United States are not justnatural partners. I believe America canbe India's best partner. I believe that. (applause) Of course, onlyIndians can decide India's role in the world. But I'm here because I'mabsolutely convinced that both our peoples will havemore jobs and opportunity, and our nationswill be more secure, and the world will be a saferand a more just place when our two democracies -- theworld's largest democracy and the world's oldestdemocracy -- stand together. I believe that. (applause) So here in New Delhi,Prime Minister Modi and I have begunthis work anew. And here's what I thinkwe can do together. America wants to beyour partner as you lift up the lives ofthe Indian people and provide greateropportunity. 

So working together,we're giving farmers new techniques and data -- fromour satellites to their cell phones -- to increaseyields and boost incomes. We're joining you inyour effort to empower every Indian with abank account. And with the breakthroughswe achieved on this visit, we can finally move towardfully implementing our civil nuclear agreement, whichwill mean more reliable electricity for Indiansand cleaner, non-carbon energy that helpsfight climate change. (applause) And I don't haveto describe for you what more electricity means. Students being ableto study at night; businesses being able to stayopen longer and hire more workers; farmers being ableto use mechanized tools that increasetheir productivity; whole communitiesseeing more prosperity. In recent years, India haslifted more people out of poverty than anyother country. And now we have a historicopportunity with India leading the way to end theinjustice of extreme poverty all around the world. (applause) America wants to be yourpartner as you protect the health of your peopleand the beauty of this land, from the backwaters of Keralato the banks of Ganges. As we deliver moreenergy, more electricity, let's do it with clean,renewable energy, like solar and wind. And let's put cleanervehicles on the road and more filtration systemson farms and villages. Because every child should beable to drink clean water, and every child should beable to breathe clean air. (applause) We need our youngpeople healthy for their futures. And we can do it. We have thetechnology to do it. 

America wants to be yourpartner in igniting the next wave ofIndian growth. As India pursues moretrade and investment, we want to befirst in line. We're ready to join you inbuilding new infrastructure -- the roads and theairports, the ports, the bullet trains to propelIndia into the future. We're ready to help design"smart cities" that serve citizens better, and we wantto develop more advanced technologies with India, as wedo with our closest allies. We believe we can be evencloser partners in ensuring our mutual security. And both our nations have knownthe anguish of terrorism, and we stand united in thedefense of our people. And now we're deepeningour defense cooperation against new challenges. The United States welcomesa greater role for India in the Asia Pacific, where thefreedom of navigation must be upheld and disputes mustbe resolved peacefully. And even as weacknowledge the world as it is, we must neverstop working for the world as it should be -- a worldwithout nuclear weapons. 

That should be agoal for all of us. (applause) I believe that if we're goingto be true global partners, then our two nations must domore around the world together. So to ensureinternational security and peace, multilateralinstitutions created in the 20th century have tobe updated for the 21st. And that's why I support areformed United Nations Security Council that includes Indiaas a permanent member. (applause) Of course, as I've said before,with power comes responsibility. In this region, India can playa positive role in helping countries forge a better future,from Burma to Sri Lanka, where today there'snew hope for democracy. With your experiencein elections, you can help othercountries with theirs. With your expertise inscience and medicine, India can do more around theworld to fight disease and develop new vaccines, and helpus end the moral outrage of even a single child dying froma preventable disease. 

Together, we can stand upagainst human trafficking and work to end the scourgeof modern day slavery. (applause) And being global partnersmeans confronting the urgent global challengeof climate change. With rising seas, meltingHimalayan glaciers, more unpredictable monsoons,cyclones getting stronger -- few countries will be moreaffected by a warmer planet than India. And the United Statesrecognizes our part in creating this problem, so we'releading the global effort to combat it. And today, I can say thatAmerica's carbon pollution is near its lowest levelin almost two decades. I know the argument made bysome that it's unfair for countries like the United Statesto ask developing nations and emerging economies likeIndia to reduce your dependence on the same fossil fuels thathelped power our growth for more than a century. But here's the truth: Even ifcountries like the United States curb our emissions, if countriesthat are growing rapidly like India -- with soaringenergy needs -- don't also embrace cleaner fuels, thenwe don't stand a chance against climate change. So we welcome India'sambitious targets for generating moreclean energy. We'll continue to helpIndia deal with the impacts of climate change --because you shouldn't have to bear that burden alone. As we keep working for astrong global agreement on climate change, it'syoung people like you who have to speak up, so wecan protect this planet for your generation. 

I'll be gone when theworst effects happen. It's your generation andyour children that are going to be impacted. That's why it's urgent thatwe begin this work right now. Development that liftsup the lives and health of our people. Trade and economicpartnerships that reduce poverty and createopportunity. Leadership in the worldthat defends our security, and advances human dignity,and protects our planet -- that's what I believe Indiaand America can do together. So with the rest of mytime, I want to discuss how we can do it. Because in big and diversesocieties like ours, progress ultimately dependson something more basic, and that is howwe see each other. And we know from experiencewhat makes nations strong. And Neha I think did agreat job of describing the essence of what'simportant here.

 We are strongest when we see the inherent dignity in every human being. Look at our countries --the incredible diversity even here in this hall. India is defined by countless languages and dialects, and every color and caste and creed, gender and orientations. And likewise, in America,we're black and white, and Latino and Asian,and Indian-American, and Native American. Your constitution begins with the pledge to uphold "the dignity of the individual." And our Declaration of Independence proclaims that "all men are created equal." In both our countries,generations have worked to live up to these ideals. When he came to India,Martin Luther King, Jr. was introduced to some schoolchildren as a "fellow untouchable." My grandfather was a cook for the British army in Kenya. The distant branches of Michelle's family tree include both slaves and slave owners. When we were born,people who looked like us still couldn't vote in some parts of the country. Even as America has blessed us with extraordinary opportunities, there were moments in my life where I've been treated differently because of the color of my skin. Many countries, including the United States, grapple with questions of identity and inequality, and how we treat each other,people who are different than us, how we deal with diversity of beliefs and of faiths. Right now, in crowded neighborhoods not far from here, a man is driving an auto-rickshaw, or washing some body else's clothes, or doing the hard work no one else will do. And a woman is cleaning somebody else's house.

 And a young man is on abicycle delivering lunch. A little girl is haulinga heavy bucket of water. And I believe theirdreams, their hopes, are just as important,just as beautiful, just as worthy as ours. And so even as we live in aworld of terrible inequality, we're also proud to live incountries where even the grandson of a cookcan become President, or even a Dalit can helpwrite a constitution, and even a tea seller canbecome Prime Minister. (applause) The point is, is that theaim of our work must be not to just have a few do well,but to have everybody have a chance, everybody who iswilling to work for it have the ability to dream big andthen reach those dreams. Our nations are strongestwhen we uphold the equality of all our people -- andthat includes our women. (applause) Now, youmay have noticed, I'm married to a verystrong and talented woman. (applause) Michelle is notafraid to speak her mind, or tell me when I'm wrong --which happens frequently. (laughter) And we havetwo beautiful daughters, so I'm surrounded bysmart, strong women. And in raising our girls,we've tried to instill in them basic values -- asense of compassion for others, and respectfor themselves, and the confidence thatthey can go as far as their imaginations and abilitieswill carry them. And as part of Michelle'swork as First Lady, she's met with women andgirls around the world, including here in India,to let them know that America believesin them, too. 

In the United States, we'restill working to make sure that women and girls haveall the opportunities they deserve, and thatthey're treated equally. And we have somegreat role models, including here today theformer speaker of our House of Representatives-- Nancy Pelosi who -- (applause) -- was the first womanspeaker of the House, and my great partner. (applause) And here in India, it'sthe wives and the mothers who so often hold familiesand communities together. Indian women have shownthat they can succeed in every field -- includinggovernment, where many of your leaders are women. And the young women whoare here today are part of a new generation that ismaking your voice heard, and standing up anddetermined to play your part in India's progress. And here's what we know. We know from experiencethat nations are more successful when theirwomen are successful. (applause) When girls go toschool -- this is one of the most direct measuresof whether a nation is going to develop effectively ishow it treats its women. When a girl goes to school, itdoesn't just open up her young mind, it benefitsall of us -- because maybe someday she'll starther own business, or invent a new technology,or cure a disease. And when women are ableto work, families are healthier, and communitiesare wealthier, and entire countries aremore prosperous. And when youngwomen are educated, then their children aregoing to be well educated and have more opportunity. So if nations really want tosucceed in today's global economy, they can'tsimply ignore the talents of half their people.

 And as husbands andfathers and brothers, we have to step up -- becauseevery girl's life matters. Every daughter deserves thesame chance as our sons. Every woman should be ableto go about her day -- to walk the streets or ridethe bus -- and be safe, and be treated withrespect and dignity. (applause) She deserves that. (applause) And one of the favorite thingsabout this trip for me has been to see all theseincredible Indian women in the armed forces, includingthe person who commanded the Guard that greetedme when I arrived. (applause) It's remarkable, andit's a sign of great strength and great progress. Our nations are strongest whenwe see that we are all God's children -- all equal in Hiseyes and worthy of His love. Across our two great countrieswe have Hindus and Muslims, Christians and Sikhs,and Jews and Buddhists and Jains and somany faiths. And we remember the wisdom ofGandhiji, who said, "for me, the different religions arebeautiful flowers from the same garden, or they are branchesof the same majestic tree." (applause) Branches ofthe same majestic tree. Our freedom of religionis written into our founding documents. It's part of America'svery first amendment. Your Article 25 says that allpeople are "equally entitled to freedom of conscienceand the right freely to profess, practice andpropagate religion." In both our countries -- in allcountries -- upholding this fundamental freedom is theresponsibility of government, but it's also theresponsibility of every person. In our lives, Michelle andI have been strengthened by our Christian faith. But there have been times wheremy faith has been questioned -- by people who don't know me --or they've said that I adhere to a different religion, as ifthat were somehow a bad thing. Around the world, we've seenintolerance and violence and terror perpetrated by thosewho profess to be standing up for their faith, but, infact, are betraying it. No society is immune fromthe darkest impulses of man. And too often religion hasbeen used to tap into those darker impulses as opposedto the light of God. Three years ago in ourstate of Wisconsin, back in the United States, aman went to a Sikh temple and, in a terrible act of violence,killed six innocent people -- Americans and Indians. And in that momentof shared grief, our two countriesreaffirmed a basic truth, as we must again today --that every person has the right to practice theirfaith how they choose, or to practice no faith atall, and to do so free of persecution andfear and discrimination. (applause) The peace we seek in theworld begins in human hearts. And it finds its gloriousexpression when we look beyond any differencesin religion or tribe, and rejoice in thebeauty of every soul. And nowhere is that moreimportant than India. Nowhere is it going tobe more necessary for that foundationalvalue to be upheld. India will succeed so long asit is not splintered along the lines of religious faith -- solong as it's not splintered along any lines -- and isunified as one nation. And it's when all Indians,whatever your faith, go to the movies and applaudactors like Shah Rukh Khan. And when you celebrate athleteslike Milkha Singh or Mary Kom. And every Indian can takepride in the courage of a humanitarian wholiberates boys and girls from forced labor andexploitation -- who is here today --Kailash Satyarthi. (applause) Our most recentwinner of the Nobel Prize for Peace. (applause) So that's what unifiesus: Do we act with compassion and empathy. Are we measured by ourefforts -- by what Dr. King called "thecontent of our character" rather than thecolor of our skin or the manner in whichwe worship our God. In both our countries,in India and in America, our diversity isour strength. And we have to guard againstany efforts to divide ourselves along sectarianlines or any other lines. 

And if we do that well, ifAmerica shows itself as an example of its diversity and yetthe capacity to live together and work together in commoneffort, in common purpose; if India, as massive as itis, with so much diversity, so many differences is ableto continually affirm its democracy, that is anexample for every other country on Earth. That's what makes us worldleaders -- not just the size of our economy or thenumber of weapons we have, but our ability to show theway in how we work together, and how much respectwe show each other. And, finally, our nations arestrongest when we empower our young people --because ultimately, you're the one who has to breakdown these old stereotypes and these old barriers,these old ways of thinking. Prejudices and stereotypes andassumptions -- those are what happens to old mindslike mine. I'm getting gray hair now. I was more youthful when Ifirst started this office. And that's why youngpeople are so important in these efforts. Here in India, most peopleare under 35 years old. And India is on track tobecome the world's most populous country. So young Indians like youaren't just going to define the future of this nation,you're going to shape the world. Like young peopleeverywhere, you want to get an education, and find a goodjob, and make your mark. And it's not easy, but in ourtwo countries, it's possible. Remember, Michelle andI don't come from wealthy backgroundsor famous families. Our families didn'thave a lot of money. We did have parents andteachers and communities that cared about us. And with the help ofscholarships and student loans, we were able to attend someof best schools of the world. Without that education, wewouldn't be here today.

 So whether it's inAmerica, or here in India, or around the world, we believeyoung people like you ought to have every chance to pursueyour dreams, as well. So as India builds newcommunity colleges, we'll link you with our own,so more young people graduate with the skillsand training to succeed. We'll increase collaborationsbetween our colleges and universities, and helpcreate the next India institute of technology. We'll encourage youngentrepreneurs who want to start a business. And we'll increase exchanges,because I want more American students coming to India,and more Indian students coming to America. (applause) And that way, wecan learn from each other and we can go further. Because one other thing wehave in common Indians and Americans are someof the hardest working people on Earth. And I've seen thhat-- (applause) Michelle and I have seen thatin a family here in India. I just want to tellyou a quick story. On our last visit here, wevisited Humayun's Tomb. And while we were there, wemet some of the laborers who are the backbone of thisnation's progress. We met their children and theirfamilies as well -- and some wonderful young childrenwith bright smiles, sparks in their eyes. And one of the children wemet was a boy named Vishal. And today, Vishalis 16 years old. And he and his familylive in South Delhi, in the village of Mor Band. (applause) And his mother workshard in their modest home, and his sister isnow in university; she wants tobecome a teacher.  

His brother is a constructionworker earning his daily wage. And his father works as astone layer, farther away, but sends home whatlittle he makes so Vishal can go to school. And Vishal loves math,and mostly, he studies. And when he's not studying,he likes watching kabaddi. And he dreams of someday joiningthe Indian armed forces. (applause) And we're gratefulthat Vishal and his family joined us today. We're very proud of him,because he's an example of the talent that's here. And Vishal's dreams are asimportant as Malia and Sasha's dreams, our daughters. And we want him to havethe same opportunities. Sisters and brothers of India,we are not perfect countries. And we've known tragedyand we've known triumph. We're home toglittering skyscrapers, but also terriblepoverty; and new wealth, but also rising inequality. We have many challengesin front of us. But the reason Istand here today, and am so optimistic aboutour future together, is that, despite our imperfections,our two nations possess the keys to progress inthe century ahead. We vote in free elections. We work and we buildand we innovate. We lift up theleast among us. 

We reach for heightsprevious generations could not even imagine. We respect human rightsand human dignity, and it is recordedin our constitutions. And we keep strivingto live up to those ideals put to paper allthose years ago. And we do these thingsbecause they make our lives better and saferand more prosperous. But we also do them becauseour moral imaginations extend beyond the limitsof our own lives. And we believe that thecircumstances of our birth need not dictate thearc of our lives. We believe in the fatherworking far from home sending money back so his familymight have a better life. We believe in the mother whogoes without so that her children might havesomething more. We believe in the laborerearning his daily wage, and the studentpursuing her degree. And we believe in ayoung boy who knows that if he just keeps studying, ifhe's just given the chance, his hopes mightbe realized, too. We are all "beautifulflowers from the same garden...branches of thesame majestic tree." And I'm the first AmericanPresident to come to your country twice, but I predictI will not be the last. Because,as Americans, we believe in thepromise of India. We believe in thepeople of India. We are proud tobe your friend. We are proud tobe your partner as you build thecountry of your dreams. Jai Hind! (applause) Thank you.