The future I dream for India is the future I wish for our entire region, says PM Narendra Modi
Addressing the SAARC summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, " The future I dream for India is the future I wish for our entire region. Nowhere in the world are collective efforts more urgent than in South Asia; and, nowhere else is it so modest.
Adding that this was his first SAARC Summit but for the second time he was meeting most of them together, Modi said, "I have travelled the world from the middle of the Pacific to the Atlantic I see a rising tide of integration. There is much to learn from each other, even more - to do together.
Modi further said, "India and Bangladesh have deepened their links through rail, road, power and transit. India and Nepal have started a new era of cooperation in energy and, India and Bhutan are making those ties stronger by the day. With Sri Lanka we have transformed trade through a Free Trade Agreement. We will soon launch a new arrangement to meet Maldives' need for oil."
Mentioning that Infrastructure is my greatest priority in India, Modi said, "As SAARC we have failed to move with the speed that our people expect and want. We must shrink the distance between our producers and consumers and use the most direct routes of trade. I know India has to lead and we will do our part. Hope, each of you will, too.
Emphasising on simple procedures, Modi added, "Let's all make our procedures simple, our facilities better, our standards common and our paper work less burdensome. India will now give business visa for 3-5 years for SAARC Countries."
Remember the horror of the terror attack in Mumbai, Modi said, "Let us work together to fulfil the pledge we have taken to combat terrorism and trans-national crimes. There is a new awakening in South Asia, a new recognition of inter-linked destinies and a new belief in shared opportunities. When we join our hands and walk in step, the path becomes easier, the journey quicker and the destination closer."
