PM’s address to the Indian community in France
Speaker: Narendra Modi
Date: 23 Aug, 2019

Distinguished citizens of France, And my friends here who have enhanced the pride of India and France, greetings to all of you! Bon Jour, Brothers and sisters, Friendship of India and France is absolutely unbreakable and this friendship is not new, it is centuries old. There is no such occasion or global forum where our countries have not supported each other and have not worked together. So today, this day is dedicated to this friendship. Friends, A good friendship means that we support each other in happiness and sorrow, whatever the situation may be. When there is any good achievement in India or France, we are happy for each other. I think that the number of supporters of the French football team in India will probably be more than those in France. When France won the Football World Cup, it was celebrated in India as well with great gusto. Friends, Similarly, we stand with each other in the moments of sorrow also. An example of this is also this memorial of two Air India plane accidents in France. Many Indian passengers died in these accidents. One of the greatest scientists of India, Dr. Homi Jahangir Bhabha was one of them. I pay my respects to that great son of India and other Indians who lost their lives in this accident. Friends, Every stone in this Memorial is a symbol of our citizens’ sensitivity to each other. We salute the guides of Saint-Gervais who helped in the discovery of the plane wreck after the accident. I had the opportunity to contact the families of those guides. I am grateful to those guides and their family members. I thank the Mayor of Saint-Gervais who played a very important role in the construction of this memorial. I express my gratitude to the Government of France, President Macron and the people of France for inviting me and I also thank you for giving me the opportunity to meet you all. Friends, When I came to France 4 years ago, I got the opportunity to communicate with thousands of Indians here. I remember that I had made a promise to you then. I had said that India is about to embark on a new journey of hopes and aspirations. Today, when I am here among you, I can say that we not only embarked on that journey, rather with the collective efforts of 130 crore Indians, India is moving forward on the path of development at a great pace. This is the reason that once again the countrymen have supported our government by giving a more powerful mandate than before. This mandate is not just for running a government, but for building a new India. A new India whose rich civilization and culture is pride of the whole world, and which leads the modernism of the 21st century as well. A new India that focuses on Ease of Doing Business and which also ensures Ease of Living. Friends, There have been many positive changes in the last five years in India. India’s youth power, villages, poor, farmers, and feminine power have been at the center of these changes. I have come to football loving country, and I am here in the midst of football lovers, then I want to say something in the language of football. You guys know very well what the importance of a goal is. In the last five years, we have scored some goals which were previously considered as impossible. But with the team spirit, we have been able to secure and realize those goals. Friends, If the maximum number of bank accounts are opened in a country in a given time all over the world, then it is in India. If the biggest health insurance scheme of the whole world is running in any country today, then it is in India. The number of people covered in this scheme is so huge that if you add the entire population of America, Canada and Mexico, even that number will be less in its comparison. Friends, Whole world has set a target to eradicate TB by 2030. You will be proud that with the speed at which we are working on it, India will achieve this target by the year 2025. Similarly, the targets for climate change which were set in COP-21 to be achieved in 2030, India will achieve most of them in the next one and a half years. Friends, Today many studies are coming in which it is being said that India is eradicating its poverty at a fast pace. This was also one of our goals, which we are pursuing fast. India is full of new energy today and it is signified in the fact that India is also very ahead in the world of start-ups. Talented youth of small towns are making great innovations one after another. Friends, It is also true that in the last five years we have also given red cards to many evils from our country. Today, the way things like corruption, nepotism, the loot of public money, and terrorism are being controlled in the new India that has never happened. Friends, There is no question of being tired or stopping in the new India. It has been only 75 days after the formation of the new government, but many big decisions have been taken inspired by the mantra of clear policy and right direction. As soon as the new government was formed, a new ministry was created for hydro power, which will holistically look at all the topics related to water. It was also decided to provide pension facilities to poor farmers and traders. The inhuman practice of triple divorce has been abolished. How can one accept such injustice with our Muslim sisters and daughters? Similarly the government has also taken important decisions in the area of Child Protection and Health. Today a lot of discussion is there also that this time the session of our Parliament was the most productive one in the last six decades. You all know that our Chandrayaan is going to land on the moon on 7th September. After this achievement, India will become the fourth country in the world to land on the moon. Brothers and sisters, Amid this progress happening in India, our centuries-old relations with France have strengthened day by day. Attention to each other’s needs, sensitivity towards each other, we have moved forward with confidence in each other. India and France, they have fought for each other and have lived for each other also. Both the countries have fought the shoulder to shoulder with the enemies. This is the land where 9,000 Indian soldiers, with the French soldiers, sacrificed their lives fighting for humanity in the First World War. Friends, We have fought Imperialism, Fascism and Extremism not only in India but also on the soil of France. Our friendship is built on solid ideals. The character of both countries is built on the shared values of ‘Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.’ Today, if India and France are closely cooperating in fighting the great threats of the world, then the reason for this is our shared values only. Whether it is terrorism or climate change, we have accepted our collective responsibility to protect the values of democracy from these threats. Another feature of Indo-French relations is that we face challenges with concrete action. There is a lot of talk of climate change in the world, but little action is seen about them. With France we started the initiative of the International Solar Alliance. Today, around 75 countries have joined this and the ISA is bringing real change on the ground against climate change. Brothers and sisters, Nowadays we talk about the infra (INFRA) of 21st century. IN plus FRA i.e. synergy and alliance of INDIA and FRANCE: From Solar Infra to Social Infra, From Technical Infra to Space Infra, From Digital Infra to Defence Infra. The Alliance of India and France is moving ahead very strongly. Both countries are also benefiting from the construction of smart urban systems and participation in the intelligent transportation in India. Brothers and sisters, Indian Scientists in France, and French Technology in India is highly respected. Many of you are representing India’s scientific talent in France, and are linked to the signature projects of both countries in atomic energy, aero-space technologies and other high tech areas. Indian talent is also a partner in the project to build the world’s only fusion reactor in France. It is a very important scientific project of this century. When this technology will provide immense energy for generations to come, then your contribution will also be there in that. Imagine, how proud every Indian will be! Friends, Your relationship with India is that of soil, while with France it is of hard work. Your successes are not only a matter of pride for France, but it also makes India proud. People of Indian origin have also performed well in French public life. Many are members of the French Parliament. When Indian talents receive honors from France, we are also filled with pride. I am also happy that you have retained your distinct ‘Indianness’ while successfully adopting the French customs and laws. I am told that the Ganpati Festival has become the main feature of the Parisian cultural calendar. On this day, Paris transforms into mini India. Which means, a few days from now, the echo of ‘Ganpati Bappa Morya’ will also be heard here. My best wishes are with you. Tomorrow, it is also the holy festival of Janmashtami. I also greet all of you for this occasion. Friends, This year we are also going to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and the 550th Prakash Parv of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. I hope that some of you must have participated in the Gandhi Quiz also. Brothers and sisters, Your contribution for the development of the country is a great power for India. It is not the governments only at the root of the strong India-France relations, rather partners like you. Only you are the representatives and the voice of India in France. I am sure that you will continue to elevate this voice of India. Once again thank you very much! Long live Mother India!!! Jai Hind!!!