anirudhsankar/PMIndia-SpeechDataset-2004-2024 huggingface dataset:
PM's opening remarks at the Press Conference after the IBSA Summit
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: April 15, 2010 Brasilia

PM's opening remarks at the Press Conference after the IBSA Summit President Lula, President Zuma and I have just concluded a very useful round of discussions on our multi-faceted cooperation under IBSA, and on several important global issues. I thank President Lula and the Government and people of Brazil for hosting the Summit and other meetings preceding the Summit. The IBSA framework has become the embodiment of South-South Cooperation. In a period of seven years, when the idea of establishing IBSA was first discussed, IBSA has moved from strength to strength. This is our fourth Summit, and marks the commencement of the second cycle of Summits. We have developed an institutional structure for enhancing our trilateral cooperation in areas such as agriculture, science and technology, energy, economic cooperation, transportation, ocean research and space science. Promotion of people-to-people interaction and greater mutual awareness of each other is the hallmark of IBSA. The several forums and Working Groups that have met here for the past few days strengthen my belief that we are proceeding in the right direction of strengthening civil society interface among our countries. IBSA is largely a peoples project. The collaborative activities within the IBSA framework hold immense promise for our people. IBSA countries have rich experience of consulting each other on global issues. We have worked together on trade, development and climate change issues. We share similar views with regard to the reform of global institutions of governance. We are united by the primacy we accord to development and issues such as food security, social inclusiveness and energy security. IBSA has entered a phase of consolidation. In this Summit we have agreed to focus our efforts on the implementation of the various initiatives we have launched under the IBSA framework. We have issued a Joint Declaration that spells out our common approach on global issues confronting our societies. I firmly believe that IBSA has developed into a vibrant organisation, and will continue to play an important role in global affairs.
PM's opening statement at the Press Conference at Washington
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: April 13, 2010 Washington DC

PM's opening statement at the Press Conference at Washington I have concluded my visit to Washington DC for the Nuclear Security Summit. As I said earlier, India welcomes the initiative taken by President Obama to focus the attention of the international community on nuclear security. This is an important issue for us because without ensuring security we will not be able to harness nuclear energy for our developmental purposes. We are satisfied with the Communique and Work Plan that have been adopted by the Summit. India participated actively in the preparatory process. I have announced that India will establish a Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership. This will be owned and managed by the Government, but will be open to international participation in terms of academic exchanges and R and D efforts. This initiative is the next logical step in India's engagement with the world after the opening of international civil nuclear cooperation with India. India's statement at the Summit outlines our approach to the issues of nuclear security, nuclear terrorism, clandestine proliferation and global disarmament. After listening to the world leaders at the Summit, I feel a sense of vindication of India's position. The intersection of international terrorism and clandestine proliferation affects our security directly. The concerns that we have been expressing for decades on the dangers of proliferation and risk of nuclear materials finding their way into the wrong hands are today finding widespread acceptance. When India called for the total elimination of nuclear weapons in the 1950s our voice was not heeded. Today the world is veering around to the vision we had put forward of a world free from nuclear weapons. The world is beginning to see merit in pursuing universal, non-discriminatory and complete nuclear disarmament. We will continue to persevere in our efforts in this direction. During my stay I had bilateral meetings with President Obama, President Nazarbaev, Prime Minister Abbas El Fassi, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, President Sarkozy and Chancellor Merkel. I had fruitful discussions with President Obama on a host of issues relating to our bilateral relations, the regional situation, and the world economy. We look forward to hosting President Obama in India later this year. My discussions with President Sarkozy, Chancellor Merkel and Prime Minister Harper focused largely on the future role of the G20 in the post-crisis phase of the global economic recovery. I will be visiting Canada for the next G20 Summit in June. I conveyed to President Sarkozy that we are looking forward to his visit later this year to India.
PM's statement at the Joint Press Conference with his Russian Counterpart
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: March 12, 2010 New Delhi

PM's statement at the Joint Press Conference with his Russian Counterpart We are delighted to have in our midst today a great friend of India, His Excellency Prime Minister Putin of Russia.  We attach the highest importance to his visit. Prime Minister Putin has been the architect of the strategic partnership between India and Russia, and we owe a deep sense of gratitude to him for bringing our two countries so close to each other. We have just concluded very comprehensive and indepth discussions on bilateral, regional and global matters.  I conveyed to Prime Minister Putin that relations with Russia are a key pillar of our foreign policy, and we regard Russia as a trusted and reliable strategic partner.  Ours is a relationship that not only stands independent of any other, but whose significance has grown over time.  Our partnership covers areas such as defence, civil nuclear energy, space, science and technology, hydrocarbons and trade and investment. In the run-up to, and during Prime Minister Putin's visit, we have finalised several important and long pending defence cooperation projects which will deepen our longstanding partnership in this sector.  We have signed the Inter-Governmental Agreement on Cooperation in Atomic Energy and agreed upon a Roadmap for construction of nuclear power plants.  A Memorandum of Understanding for bilateral cooperation in Russia's satellite navigation system has been agreed upon. We have agreed to strengthen our cooperation in hydrocarbons through greater collaboration between our oil and gas companies.  Agreements have been signed in the areas of fertilisers and pharmaceuticals.  We have identified information technology and telecommunications as focus areas for our future economic cooperation. The outcomes of Prime Minister Putin's visit are therefore rich and very substantive. We had a detailed discussion on regional and global issues.  There is much that India and Russia can do together to advance global peace and stability and the process of global economic revival.  We have agreed to intensify our consultations on Afghanistan and the challenges posed by terrorism and extremism in our region. I am happy to state that my discussions with Prime Minister Putin have reinforced the strong ties of friendship that bind our two countries. Thank you.
PM releases the book 'Perspectives on Central Banking - Governors Speak'
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: January 15, 2010 New Delhi

PM releases the book 'Perspectives on Central Banking - Governors Speak' "I am very happy to release this compilation which marks the platinum jubilee celebrations of a great institution - the Reserve Bank of India .  These 75 years have been a journey of  momentous developments. But the basic objectives of economic policy have remained roughly the same, growth with stability and social justice. And in all these areas, the Reserve Bank has played a very important role and the fact that this country has come a long way from the low rates of growth until the 70s, moving up to the 80s and then from the 90s a march on the forward route to sustained and equitable development, the Reserve Bank has played a very important role in making all this happen. I recall the role of the Reserve Bank in building institutions. The Reserve Bank played a very important role in drawing the attention of our country to make our credit system more sensitive to the needs of our farmers and our rural community.  It played a very important role in the establishment of agricultural finance corporations, subsequently it gave birth to NABARD.  In the same way, when the IDBI had to be set up, it was once again the Reserve Bank which took the lead in the establishment of the IDBI, in the same way, in the establishment of the National Housing Bank.  The Reserve Bank was instrumental in setting up a whole lot of institutions and the diversified financial system, the more inclusive financial system that we now have owes a great deal to the innovative ideas emanating from this great national institution that the Reserve Bank is. The Reserve Bank has been very fortunate to have been led by men of dedication, men of deep and abiding commitment to the national ideals and goals of our country and on this 75th Anniversary of the Reserve Bank, I can only pray that that great tradition will continue to survive, that the Reserve Bank will continue to play a historic role in the evolution of Indian economy as India moves forward towards a growth path of 9-10% per annum, a growth path which commits the country to a path of reasonable price stability, a growth path which reasonably commits our country to our ancient inclusion that the credit and the financial system will function more and more paying attention to the needs of the poorer section of our community. That's my prayer and judging by what the Bank has achieved in these 75 years, I have every reason to believe that the next 75 years will be still more productive, still more innovative in the long history of our country."
PM's address at the Second Prof. Hiren Mukherjee Memorial Lecture
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: December 9, 2009 New Delhi

PM's address at the Second Prof. Hiren Mukherjee Memorial Lecture I am delighted to be here today on the occasion of the second Prof. Hiren Mukherjee Memorial Lecture. I welcome and greet Prof. Muhammad Yunus who will deliver this highly prestigious address. Prof. Yunus is truly an exceptional human being and it is really a privilege to be in his company. He has been a professor of economics, a civil servant and a social worker. His work demonstrates the great power of ideas. In his case his path is best described by anUrdu couplet Main Akela Hi Chala Tha Janebe Manjil Magar Log Milte Gaye aur Carvan Banta Gaya. Prof. Yunus is one of those exceptional human beings who has successfully applied his knowledge of economics and society for reducing the poverty of millions and millions of men and women. In this he has indeed been a great visionary of our times. We have much to learn from the recipient of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize and I once again applaud and salute his work and his presence here amidst us. I also congratulate Smt. Meira Kumar, Speaker of the Lok Sabha for having invited Prof. Yunus to address. The Prof. Hiren Mukherjee Memorial Lecture was instituted by the previous Speaker Shri Somnath Chatterjee. Though he is not present here today, he deserves a special thanks for this initiative. I am sure this annual event will continue to inform and educate us greatly in the years to come. The speaker last year was another Nobel Laureate, Prof. Amartya Sen. While welcoming him I had mentioned about his passion for inclusive growth which could improve the lives of the poorest and the most underprivileged sections of our society. This is a passion which today's speaker Prof. Yunus shares with Prof. Amartya Sen. Their work is different but there is so much in common in the motivation that drives both their works. Prof. Yunus has revolutionized the idea of micro credit and made it accessible to the poorest of the poor. His declaration that "Credit is a human right" is a powerful expression of what he believes in. He has brought about a paradigm shift in reaching out to the dispossessed and the disinherited. His work has especially touched poor women and empowered them. Indeed Prof. Hiren Mukherjee would have been very happy today were he to listen to Prof. Yunus today for Prof. Yunus embodies in himself many of the ideals that Prof. Mukherjee lived for. The title of today's lecture "Social Business - A Step Towards Creating a New Economic and Social Order" would have appealed to both the communist and liberal in Prof. Mukherjee because it is a subject that explores the possibility of a more egalitarian society through the power of new ideas. As we pay tribute to the memory of an outstanding scholar and parliamentarian, a man whose life was one of tireless service to the cause of the poor, a great son of our country. I will not take more of your time. Like all of you, I look forward to the lecture by Prof. Yunus, which I am sure is going to be both exciting and enlightening.
PM's speech at the Luncheon hosted by President Medvedev
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: December 7, 2009 Moscow, Russia

PM's speech at the Luncheon hosted by President Medvedev Thank you for the warm words of welcome and for the generous hospitality you have accorded to me and to my delegation.  It is always a pleasure to be back in your great country to renew the bonds of our old friendship. Excellency, We deeply value your strong personal commitment to India - Russia relations. My visit marks the culmination of one year of intensive engagement between India and Russia that followed your historic visit to India last year. I have come to Russia with a message of warmth, goodwill and friendship from the people of India. Excellency, The rapid transformation of India and the emergence of a new Russia hold great promise and potential for our future cooperation. The talks we held today reflect the depth and range of our relations. We discussed aspects of our traditionally strong cooperation in frontline technology areas such as space and nuclear energy.  Our strong defence relationship reflects the trust and confidence we have in each other. Excellency, Our people are known for their skills, creativity and enterprise. Our industries are key players in important sectors of the global economy. We should be doing more business with each other. I call upon our business leaders to create a new and bold vision for our economic partnership. The governments will facilitate this in every possible way. Excellency, The similarity in our world views is a strong pillar of our friendship. Cooperation between India and Russia in international forums like the United Nations and the G-20 is an important factor in addressing key global challenges and in shaping a world order that promotes our common prosperity and security. Terrorism is one such challenge. It threatens our pluralistic and democratic societies. We have agreed to expand our cooperation to tackle this threat in the region and beyond. Excellency, The Year of India in Russia and the Year of Russia in India were great successes.  We should pursue more such initiatives, particularly those focused on our youth. We should pass on the mutual admiration we have for each others' traditions and culture to the coming generations. Excellency, I am confident that under your dynamic and mature leadership, India and Russia will reach even greater heights in building a strategic partnership of enduring friendship and cooperation. Excellencies, May I now request you to join me in raising a toast to: - 	The health and well being of His Excellency Mr. Dmitry Medvedev, President of the Russian Federation and Mrs. Medvedeva; - 	The close and abiding friendship between India and Russia; and - 	The prosperity, success and happiness of the friendly people of Russia.
PM's intervention on India's Commonwealth initiatives
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: November 28, 2009 Port of Spain

PM's intervention on India's Commonwealth initiatives Hindi Version Our Summit in Port of Spain coincides with the 60th anniversary of the Commonwealth. India, as a founder member of the Commonwealth, is celebrating the 60th anniversary through a number of initiatives. We have issued commemorative coins and released first day covers and stamps to mark the occasion as an expression of our support for the values enshrined in the Commonwealth. On this occasion, I am pleased to announce the following initiatives: -Organising a fully financed Diplomatic Training Module in our Foreign Service Institute which will begin in 2010. I encourage Commonwealth members to avail of this opportunity to train their young diplomats in the Institute. -India will underwrite the cost of the first phase of the Commonwealth Partnership Platform Portal (CP3) and will support this programme as it develops. -As host to the Commonwealth 2010 Games, India will fund a post of Sports Adviser in the Commonwealth Secretariat. -India has long believed that stronger South-South cooperation is essential for the transformation of our societies through skill enhancement and sharing of knowledge. India would earmark 250 slots under its International Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme specifically for Commonwealth countries. -India's support to the Commonwealth small states is well known and long standing. India has been contributing $100,000 annually towards a Commonwealth tranche for a Small State Office in New York. In response to the Secretary-General's request, I am pleased to announce that India will contribute $80,000 per annum for a similar Small State Office in Geneva. -The Commonwealth Media Development Fund has been a success story. It gives me great pleasure to announce that India will double its contribution to the Fund and will now contribute 120,000 US dollars, spread over a period of two years. -We will support the Commonwealth Secretary General's initiative to convene a body of National Elections Commissions to share experiences and learn lessons from each other. I thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Remarks by PM at the Lunch hosted by Vice President Biden and Secretary Clinton
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: November 24, 2009 Washington DC

Remarks by PM at the Lunch hosted by Vice President Biden and Secretary Clinton Hindi Version I thank you for your warm remarks and gracious hospitality. Mr. Vice President, your leadership in the Senate, especially on the civil nuclear initiative, helped transform the relationship between our two democracies. We look to your continued guidance to take our relations forward. Madam Secretary, I convey my sincere gratitude to you for the time and energy you have invested in advancing our relations. Your visit to India in July this year has prepared the groundwork for a strengthened strategic partnership between our two countries. At our meeting today, President Obama and I reaffirmed the importance of the India-US partnership for meeting the aspirations of our people and the global challenges of the 21st century. The civil nuclear initiative was a turning point in our relations. We are ready for an intense and wide-ranging cooperative engagement in all areas of human endeavour. In pursuing this, our shared values, common interests and the vitality and creativity of our people are our greatest assets. Technology is the key to meeting many challenges, whether it is the transition to a green economy, achieving energy security, combating pandemics or lifting millions of our people above poverty. We should work to put in place a policy framework that facilitates the transfer of high technologies to India. We have a shared interest in promoting prosperity and stability in the Asia Pacific region. We have a common stake in peace and development in Afghanistan and in defeating terrorism in South Asia. The creation of the G-20 framework to address global economic and financial issues was an act of statesmanship. We should build upon this cooperative and inclusive approach to problem solving at the global level. Mahatma Gandhi had once said, and I quote "The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems", unquote. Today we have sought to bridge the gap between what is and what can be in our relations. Ladies and Gentlemen, I now invite you to join me in a toast to: - The health and happiness of Vice President Mr. Joseph Biden and Mrs. Biden and Secretary of State Mrs. Hillary Clinton; - The friendly people of the United States of America; and - To greater friendship between India and the United States.
Remarks by PM at the State Dinner hosted by President Obama and Mrs. Obama
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: November 24, 2009 Washington DC

Remarks by PM at the State Dinner hosted by President Obama and Mrs. Obama Hindi Version We feel privileged to be invited to the first State banquet under your Presidency.  You do us, and India, great honour by this gesture.  We are overwhelmed by the warmth of your hospitality, the courtesy you have extended to us personally and the grace and charm of the First Lady. Mr. President, your journey to the White House has captured the imagination of all Indians.  You are an inspiration to all those who cherish the values of democracy, diversity and equal opportunity. I can do no better than to describe your achievements in the words of Abraham Lincoln who said "In the end, its not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years". We warmly applaud the recognition by the Nobel Committee of the healing touch you have provided and the power of your idealism and vision. Your leadership of the United States coincides with a time of profound change in the world.  We need to find new pathways of international cooperation that respond more effectively to the challenges caused by the growing interdependence of nations. As two leading democracies, India and the United States must play a leading role in building a shared destiny for all humankind. A strong and sustained engagement between our two countries is good for our people and important for the world. We are embarking on a new phase of our partnership. We should build on our common values and interests to realize the enormous potential and promise of our partnership. Our expanding cooperation in areas of social and human development and science and technology will better the lives of millions of people. The success of the nearly 2.7 million strong Indian American community is a tribute to our common ethos. They have enriched and deepened our ties and I thank them warmly. I convey my best wishes to you, Mr. President, as you lead this great nation and look forward to working with you to renew and expand our strategic partnership. I wish you and the people of America a very Happy Thanks giving. Ladies and Gentlemen, I invite you to join me in a toast to: -	The health and happiness of President Barrack Obama and the First Lady, Mrs. Obama, -	The friendly people of the United States of America, and -	Stronger friendship between India and the United States of America.