Uniondale: Prime Minister Narendra Modi projected the new perception of India on the world stage as a confident emergent power, accelerator of the peace process, and “first responder” in his address to the diaspora at Uniondale on September 22 and gave his vision for transforming it into an economic and technological powerhouse.

About 15,000 people from 40 states across the US gathered at the Nassau Coliseum in this New York suburb to listen to Prime Minister Modi while reflecting on the diversity of India in their kaleidoscope of clothes, punctuating his speech with slogans of “Modi, Modi”, and “Bharat Mata ki Jai”. The multi-purpose arena, which is the home of the Long Island Nets basketball team, is in Uniondale, about 50 km from Manhattan.

Before he was to speak, Prime Minister Modi responded to the resounding welcome he received as he strode into the arena, posting on X, “The warmth and energy of the Indian diaspora in New York is unparalleled”. During his hour-long speech, he covered an entire range of subjects, from his meeting with President Joe Biden on Saturday, US-India relations, and India’s role in the world to Indian elections and the “extraordinary” third term he won and its mandate for his development goals.

“Today when India speaks on a global platform, the world listens,” Prime Minister Modi said of India’s new stature in the world. But, he added, contrasting India’s ambitions with that of others, “We do not seek our dominance in the world. We want to help in the prosperity of the world.”

India, he said, is a “first responder” for the crises around the world, sending out relief to countries in distress, and cited the Covid vaccines the nation dispatched across the globe. “The India of today is emerging as a catalytic agent in the world, and the impact will be visible in every sector,” he said.

The nation will also play a role in bringing peace, the Prime Minister said. “India’s role will be crucial to accelerate the global peace process,” he added. “Some time ago, when I said, ‘This is not the era of war’, the seriousness of it was understood by all friends,” he said. That was a statement he made to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, calling for an end to the Ukraine war, and it was echoed around the world.

Prime Minister Modi has visited both Moscow and Kyiv, meeting with leaders on both sides. He intertwined the role of technology and the ambitions of millions of Indians as he looked ahead to the future.