[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 16392-16394]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY MANMOHAN SINGH, PRIME MINISTER OF THE 
                           REPUBLIC OF INDIA

  Prime Minister SINGH. Mr. Speaker, sir; Mr. Vice President; 
distinguished Members of the U.S. Congress; ladies and gentlemen, I 
deem it a great privilege to be invited to address this joint session 
of the U.S. Congress. I thank you from the core of my heart for this 
invitation.
  I bring you the greetings and good wishes of our Parliament members 
and, indeed, of the entire Indian people.
  India and the United States have much in common that is very 
important to both our countries. You are the world's oldest democracy; 
we are its largest. Our shared commitment to democratic values and 
processes has been a bond that has helped us transcend our differences, 
if any. We admire the creativity, the spirit of adventure and 
enterprise of the American people, the excellence of your institutions 
of learning, the openness of your economy, and of your ready embrace of 
diversity. These have attracted the brightest young minds from India, 
creating a bridge of understanding that transcends both distance and 
differences between us.
  In addition to the values we share as democracies, there is also a 
convergence in our perceptions of a rapidly transforming global 
environment, bringing us much closer together now than at any time in 
the past. Globalization, ladies and gentlemen, has made the world so 
interdependent that none of us can ignore what happens elsewhere in any 
part of the world. Peace and prosperity are more indivisible than ever 
before in human history.
  As democracies, we must work together to create a world in which 
democracies can flourish. This is particularly important because we are 
today faced with new threats such as global terrorism to which 
democracies are particularly vulnerable.
  Indian democracy has been fashioned around India's civilizational 
ethos which celebrates diversity. Our society today is the culmination 
of centuries of assimilation of diverse peoples and ethnic groups. All 
the major religions of the world are represented in India. We have a 
tremendous diversity of languages, customs, and traditions. The Father 
of our Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, called for universal adult franchise as 
early as 1931, long before India became independent. Our political 
leadership remained true to this commitment and the Constitution we 
adopted after independence enshrined democracy based on free elections 
and the associated principles of tolerance of dissent, freedom for 
political activity, protection of human rights, and commitment to the 
rule of law.
  Our first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, acknowledged our debt to 
America on this score. He said that you could hear in our Constitution 
the echo of the great voices of the Founding Fathers of your own 
Republic.
  Ladies and gentlemen, the real test of a democracy is not in what is 
said in the Constitution, but in how it functions on the ground. All 
Indians can be proud of what we have achieved in this area, and I 
suggest that our experience in this regard is also relevant beyond our 
own boundaries. Free and fair elections are the foundations of a 
democracy. Over the past six decades, governments in India, at both the 
national and state level, have regularly sought the mandate of the 
people through elections.
  Our elections are conducted under the supervision of a statutory 
independent election commission, which has earned respect for its 
fairness and transparency, both at home and abroad. The independent 
judiciary has been a zealous defender of our Constitution and a 
credible guarantor of the rule of law. The press is a key institution 
in any democracy, and our media has a well-earned reputation for being 
both free and fearless. Our minority, and we have many, participates 
actively in all walks of our national life, political, commercial, and 
cultural. Civil society organizations are thriving and are vigilant in 
protecting fundamental human rights. They are also watchful of threats 
to our environment. Our army has remained a professional force, subject 
throughout to civilian control.
  Recently, the Constitution was amended to ensure constitutionally 
mandated elections to village and municipal councils. This process has 
produced no less than 3 million elected representatives in our country, 
with 1 million positions reserved for women. This has brought democracy 
closer to the people and also empowered our women and promoted gender 
balance.
  Ladies and gentlemen, our commitment to democratic values and 
practices means that there are many concerns and perceptions that we 
share with the people of this great country. The most important concern 
is the threat of global terrorism. Democracy can only thrive in open 
and free societies. But open societies like ours are today threatened 
more than ever before by the rise of global terrorism. The very 
openness of our societies makes us more vulnerable, and yet we must 
deal effectively with the threat without losing the openness we so 
value and cherish. India and the United States have both suffered 
grievously from terrorism, and we must make common cause against it. We 
know that those who resort to terror often clothe it in the garb of 
real or imaginary grievances. We must categorically affirm that no 
grievance can justify resort and recourse to terror.
  Ladies and gentlemen, democracies provide legitimate means for 
expressing dissent. They provide the right to engage in political 
activity, and must continue to do so. However, for this very reason, 
they cannot afford to be soft on terror. Terrorism exploits the freedom 
our open societies provide to destroy these very freedoms we cherish. 
The United States and India must, therefore, work together in all 
possible forums to counter all forms of terrorism. We cannot be 
selective in this area. We must fight terrorism wherever it exists, 
because terrorism anywhere threatens democracy everywhere.
  We know from experience that democratic societies which guarantee 
individual freedom and tolerance of dissent provide an environment most 
conducive to creative endeavor and the establishment of socially just 
societies. We, therefore, have an obligation to help other countries 
that aspire for the fruits of democracy. Just as developed industrial 
countries assist those that are less developed to accelerate the pace 
of their social and economic development, democratic societies with

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established institutions must help those that want to strengthen 
democratic values and institutions. In this spirit, President Bush and 
I agreed yesterday on a joint global initiative to help build 
democratic capacities in all societies that seek such assistance.
  Ladies and gentlemen, the capacities we have in mind are those 
related to the electoral, parliamentary, judicial, and human rights 
processes of emerging democracies. Respect for cultural diversity, 
minority rights, and gender equality is an important goal of this 
initiative.
  Democracy is one part of our national endeavor. Development is the 
other. Openness will not gain popular support if an open society is not 
a prosperous society. This is especially so in developing countries, 
where a large number of people have legitimate material expectations 
which ought to be and which must be met. That is why we must transform 
India's economy, to raise the standard of living of all of our people 
and in the process eliminate poverty, ignorance, and disease.
  India's aspirations in this respect are not different from those of 
other developing countries. But I submit to you, ladies and gentlemen, 
that we are unique in one respect. There is no other country of a 
billion people with our tremendous cultural, linguistic, and religious 
diversity that has tried to modernize its society and transform its 
economy within the framework of a functioning democracy. To attempt 
this at our modest levels of per capita incomes is a major challenge. 
We are determined to succeed in this effort. We shall prevail.
  To achieve our developmental goals, our policies and strategies must 
be in step with changed circumstances, and especially the opportunities 
now available in the evolving global economy. Prime Minister Rajiv 
Ghandi, standing at this very podium two decades ago, spoke of the 
challenge of building anew on old foundations. He started a process of 
reorienting India's economic policies, which has been continued by 
successive governments.
  The economic policy changes that have been made in India have far-
reaching implications. They have liberated Indian enterprise from 
government control and made our economy much more open to global flows 
of trade, capital, and technology. Our entrepreneurial talent has been 
unleashed and is encouraged to compete with the best in the world. We 
will continue this process so that Indian talent and enterprise can 
realize its full potential, enabling India to participate in the global 
economy as an equal partner.
  We are often criticized for being too slow in making changes in 
policy, but democracy means having to build a consensus in favor of 
change. As elected representatives, ladies and gentlemen, you are all 
familiar with this problem in democratic societies. We have to assuage 
the doubts and calm the fears that often arise when people face the 
impact of change. There is such a thing as the fear of the unknown. 
Many of the fears we have to address are probably exaggerated, but they 
must be addressed nevertheless. This is necessary to ensure 
sustainability. India's economic reforms, therefore, must be seen in 
this light: they may appear slow, but I assure you they are durable and 
irreversible.
  I am very happy to say that our efforts at transforming India into an 
economy more integrated with the world have borne fruit. Our rate of 
economic growth of GDP has increased steadily, and has averaged around 
6 percent per annum over the past two decades. Poverty has declined, 
although more slowly than we would like. We are determined to improve 
on this performance. We hope to raise our growth rate to 8 percent or 
more over the next 2 years, and we will ensure that this growth is 
inclusive so that its benefits are widely shared.
  For this we must act on several fronts. We must do much more in 
health and education, which are crucial for human development. We must 
continue to open up our economy. We must impart a new impetus to 
agricultural development. We must expand investment in economic 
infrastructure, which is a critical constraint on our growth prospects.
  India's growth and prosperity, I sincerely believe, is in America's 
own interests. American investments in India, especially in the new 
technology areas, will help American companies to reduce costs and 
become more competitive globally. Equally, India's earnings from these 
investments will lead to increased purchases from the United States. 
The information technology revolution in India is built primarily on 
U.S. computer-related technology and hardware. There are many other 
examples of such two-way benefits, with both sides gaining from this 
process.
  U.S. firms are already leading the foreign investment drive in India. 
I believe 400 of the Fortune 500 are already in India. They produce for 
the Indian market and will hopefully also source supplies from India 
for their global supply chains. We welcome this involvement, and I look 
forward to further expansion in the years ahead. India needs massive 
foreign direct investment, especially in modernizing our 
infrastructure. I hope American companies will actively participate in 
the opportunities we are creating.
  The 21st century will be driven by knowledge-based production and 
India is well placed in this area. We have a large and relatively young 
population with a social tradition that values higher education. Our 
educated young people are also English-speaking. This makes us 
potentially a highly attractive location for production of high-end 
services whether in software, engineering design, or research in 
pharmaceutical and other areas. Our laws on intellectual property 
rights have been recently amended to comply fully with our 
international obligations under the WTO. We look forward to attracting 
business in these areas from the United States.
  The presence of a large number of Indian Americans in high-technology 
industries here makes the United States and India natural partners. It 
gives you confidence about India's human resource capability. It also 
gives you an edge over your competitors in the ease with which you can 
operate in India. We are proud of what the Indian American community 
has done in this country. I was touched, as were many of my countrymen, 
by the news that a resolution of this House celebrated the contribution 
of Indian Americans to research, innovation, and promotion of trade and 
international cooperation between India and the United States.
  Ladies and gentlemen, to fully exploit potential areas for 
cooperation between our two countries, we need to make special efforts 
to bring our private sectors closer together. To this end, President 
Bush and I have constituted an India-United States forum of chief 
executive officers. I hope this forum will promote greater 
understanding of each other's perspectives and also a better assessment 
of prospects for future cooperation. The two governments will draw on 
their experience and advice on how to realize the full potential of our 
relationship and of our partnership.
  The bulk of our population still depends upon agriculture for a 
living. The United States was an early partner in this area, helping to 
establish agricultural universities and research institutions in India 
in the 1960s. I acknowledge that help with gratitude.
  It was a great American, Nobel Laureate Norman Borlaug, supported by 
a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation, who developed high-yielding 
varieties of wheat in Mexico which were then adapted to Indian 
conditions in the agricultural universities you helped us establish. 
This was the start of the Green Revolution in India that lifted 
countless millions above poverty. I am very happy to say that President 
Bush and I have decided to launch a second generation of India-United 
States collaboration in the area of agriculture.
  The new initiative will focus on basic and strategic research for 
sustainable development of agriculture to meet the challenge of raising 
productivity in conditions of water stress. It seeks to take 
information and know-how directly to the farming community and promote 
technologies that minimize

[[Page 16394]]

post-harvest wastage and improve food storage. It will also help Indian 
farmers to meet phytosanitary conditions and enable them to participate 
more fully in global agricultural trade.
  Energy security is another area where our two countries have strong 
common interests. The world's reserves of hydrocarbons are finite and 
we must, therefore, tap new energy sources. India's reliance on coal 
and hydropower will increase. We have to invest in new oil and gas 
exploration and in enhanced recovery of oil and gas from available 
fields. We must also tap the full potential of nuclear energy. The 
United States can help in all these areas. I am happy to say, 
therefore, that we have initiated an energy dialogue with the United 
States to explore the scope for cooperation in each of these areas in 
the years that lie ahead.
  The field of civil nuclear energy is a vital area for cooperation 
between our two countries. As a consequence of our collective efforts, 
our relationship in this sector is being transformed. President Bush 
and I have arrived at an understanding in finding ways and means to 
enable such cooperation to proceed.
  In this context, I would also like to reiterate that India's track 
record in nuclear nonproliferation is impeccable. We have adhered 
scrupulously to every rule and canon in this area. We have done so even 
though we have witnessed unchecked nuclear proliferation in our own 
neighborhood which has directly affected our security interests. This 
is because India, as a responsible nuclear power, is fully conscious of 
the immense responsibilities that come with the possession of advanced 
technologies, both civilian and strategic. We have never been, and will 
never be, a source of proliferation of sensitive technologies.
  Ladies and gentlemen, we are conscious that plans to meet our energy 
requirements will have implications for the environment. This is 
especially so since any energy scenario for India will involve heavy 
dependence on coal. Clean coal technologies that can make an impact 
need to be developed and should be affordable for poorer countries. We 
need to find ways whereby sufficient resources can be devoted to ensure 
the development of these technologies. We must also find ways of 
allowing greater access for developing countries to these technologies 
including ways of undertaking cooperative research. We stand ready to 
explore new partnerships in this vital area with the United States, 
which will help enable a more efficient use of our hydrocarbon 
resources as well.
  There are other areas, too, where we can collaborate effectively. Our 
combined effort in providing relief and succor to the millions affected 
by last December's tsunami is an example of what partnerships can 
achieve. Building on this experience, President Bush and I have 
launched a joint initiative to ensure that our capabilities will be 
readily on call for those in need in similar situations in the future.
  The global challenge of HIV-AIDS is another area for India-United 
States active cooperation. President Bush and I have agreed on the need 
to provide increased international access to safe and effective anti-
retroviral drugs.
  Ladies and gentlemen, globalization has woven a web of 
interconnections all around the world. This makes it all the more 
necessary that we evolve a system of global governance that carries 
credibility and commands legitimacy. Such a system must be sufficiently 
participative to be able to generate a true global consensus. It must 
also reflect contemporary realities. The Doha Round of world trade 
negotiations and the reform of the United Nations are two major 
processes now in the international arena where we need to work together 
to strengthen the system of global governance and equitable management 
of the evolving interdependence of all nations.
  India is committed to strengthening the multilateral trading system, 
and we will work with the U.S. and other partners for a successful 
outcome of the Doha Round. I am sure that we can find a reasonable and 
balanced outcome that is mutually beneficial. We will make every effort 
to do so.
  On the reform of the United Nations, we believe that it is time to 
recognize the enormous changes that have occurred since the present 
structure was established. There must be comprehensive reform of the 
United Nations to make it more effective and also more representative. 
The U.N. Security Council must be restructured as part of the reform 
process. In this context, you would agree with me that the voice of the 
world's largest democracy surely cannot be left unheard on the Security 
Council when the United Nations is being restructured.
  Mr. Speaker, sir; Mr. Vice President, sir; distinguished Senators and 
Members of the House of Representatives; ladies and gentlemen, I would 
like to conclude by saying that the Indian people look forward to a 
bright future, full of confidence, based on a growing recognition of 
our economic capabilities and the readiness of our society to meet the 
challenges now before us. We have had some success in improving the 
quality of life of our own people, and we will redouble our efforts to 
this end. We will also work towards securing a world order in which 
democracy can flourish and in which developing nations can strive for 
greater prosperity.
  As two great democracies, we are natural partners in many ways. 
Partnerships can be of two kinds. There are partnerships based on 
principle, and there are partnerships based on pragmatism. I believe, 
ladies and gentlemen, we are at a juncture in our history where we can 
embark on a partnership between India and the United States, a 
partnership that can draw both on principle as well as on pragmatism. 
We must build on this unique opportunity.
  My objective on this visit to your great country was to lay the basis 
for transformed ties between our two great democracies. I believe that 
we have made a good beginning. With the support and understanding of 
the Congress of the United States, the full benefits of our partnership 
will be realized in the months and years to come. Ladies and gentlemen, 
India is today embarked on a journey inspired by many dreams. We 
welcome America. We welcome having America by our side. There is much 
we can accomplish together.
  Thank you.
  [Applause, Members rising.]
  At 10 o'clock and 48 minutes a.m., His Excellency Manmohan Singh, 
Prime Minister of the Republic of India, accompanied by the committee 
of escort, retired from the Hall of the House of Representatives.
  The Deputy Sergeant at Arms escorted the invited guests from the 
Chamber in the following order:
  The Members of the President's Cabinet;
  The Acting Dean of the Diplomatic Corps.

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