Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced that the Indian government will open two new consulates in the US – one in Boston and the other in Los Angeles.
Prime Minister Modi said, “Last year I announced the opening of a new Indian Consulate in Seattle. I sought your suggestions for two additional Consulates. India has now decided to open two new Consulates in Boston and Los Angeles.”
PM Modi made this announcement while interacting with the Indian community at Nassau Coliseum in New York. The place was filled with excited and happy faces and echoed with chants of “Modi, Modi”.
During his speech, Prime Minister Modi highlighted India’s growing ties with the US. Addressing the crowd, he thanked them for attending the event and made them chant “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” before concluding his speech.
One of the issues that Prime Minister Modi stressed during his speech was the return of the BJP-led central government to power. While the Prime Minister was speaking on this topic, the crowd was heard chanting “Abki baar, Modi sarkar”.
Over 16,000 people – many of whom have travelled overnight from across the US – have gathered on Long Island to hear Prime Minister Modi speak at a community reception.
Much before the arrival of the Prime Minister, a cultural programme showcasing the diversity of Indian culture had begun at the packed venue.
Soon after arriving in Philadelphia on Saturday, the Prime Minister had expressed his keenness to meet the Indian community and Americans from across the US at the New York event.
Upon his arrival in Philadelphia after a journey of nearly 16 hours from Delhi, he said, “The Indian community has made its mark in the US and has made a positive impact in various fields. It is always a pleasure to interact with them. On Sunday, September 22, at around 9:30 PM IST, I will be addressing the ‘Modi aur America’ event in New York City. Let us celebrate the bonds that connect our countries!”
Preparations for this crucial event, scheduled to take place between the Quad summit hosted by US President Joe Biden in Delaware on Saturday and PM Modi’s address at the UN Future Summit on Monday, have been going on for the past several weeks and the organisers have been overwhelmed by the huge number of people wishing to attend the event titled ‘Modi and America, Progress Together’.
“We are proud of Modiji and we are proud to be a part of this great event. Modiji, we love you and we want you to be successful in whatever you are doing for our country,” said a woman who arrived at the venue early on Sunday morning.
The multi-purpose arena, which is home to the Long Island Nets basketball team, is in Uniondale, about 50 km from Manhattan.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had earlier said, “This is an event which is being organised by the community. As you know, there are about 4.5 million Indian diaspora members in the United States, one of the largest groups there, which has made its mark and is contributing to the relationship between the two countries by acting as a living bridge between our two countries.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)