New Delhi / A day after Pakistan PM’s threat, Modi recalls surgical strikes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned home to a rousing welcome by BJP workers and supporters after concluding his week-long US visit and said that he saw for himself how India’s global profile and prestige had grown in the last five years. He also paid tribute to soldiers on the third anniversary of the surgical strike conducted on terrorist launchpads in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.

Comparing his experience of his 2014 US trip to the current one, Modi said the global recognition was for “India’s 130 crore people”.

“After assuming office in 2014, I went to the United Nations. I went to the United Nations even now. In these five years, I have seen a big change. The respect for India, the enthusiasm towards India has increased significantly. This is due to the 130 crore Indians,” the prime minister said.

Marvelling at the enterprise of Indian-Americans for the impressive organisation of the diaspora event, ‘Howdy, Modi!’ , the prime minister said, the event fascinated all the leaders he met during his visit.

“The world today talks about India’s growing might and profile and the credit goes to all the Indians, both inside and outside the country,” Modi said.

Prime Minister Modi then went on to say that exactly three years ago on the night of September 28, 2016, he was very restless while waiting for news on the surgical strike launched by the Indian armed forces across the LoC.

“It was also the night of September 28 three years ago when I couldn’t sleep all night, waiting for the phone to ring, that night of September 28 scripted a golden story of our soldiers valour who conducted the surgical strike,” he said and added, “I bow before the courage of our soldiers today.”

The prime minister was welcomed by a gathering of ministers, leaders and thousands of party workers.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s US visit included two meetings with the US President Donald Trump and the address to the United Nations General Assembly among several other engagements.

Before taking off for New Delhi, the prime minister thanked the American people for “exceptional welcome, warmth and hospitality” and said the diverse range of programmes he attended during his US stay will greatly benefit India.

Prime Minister Modi was also awarded the Global Goalkeeper Award from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for ‘Swachh Bharat’ campaign during his trip that also saw him attend bilaterals on the sidelines of the UN summit along with a hugely successful Indian diaspora event in Houston, Texas, ‘Howdy, Modi!’

PM thanked US president Donald Trump for attending the Indian diaspora event.

“Community connect is at the heart of India-USA relations. I will never forget the #HowdyModi programme, made more special by the coming of @POTUS. That gesture showed how much he personally, and USA values ties with India as well as the role of our talented diaspora” he tweeted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s week-long visit to the US also marked progress in resolving the differences over trade stand-off between India and the US.

Several experts quoted by news agency IANS have said that his trip focused on the big picture as Modi made a case for India’s global leadership

Former diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar told IANS that while the ‘Howdy Modi’ event at Houston was extremely successful, the presence of President Trump “was a testimony to the growing political and economic influence of the Indian community, and also the salience of the strength of India-US relations and how both leaders are politically invested to take it forward”.

Harsh V. Pant, Director of Studies, ORF, told IANS that PM through the Houston event conveyed that India’s Kashmir policy “is part of the democratic process, and is about a constitutional framework” and that it would have “hopefully helped to shape the narrative in the American establishment as there is a lot of misinformation about India’s Kashmir position”.

Former diplomat Sheel Kant Sharma said Modi’s was a “stellar performance, as a PM and a statesman” as he effectively conveyed that mediation on Kashmir is not needed and talks with Pakistan were incumbent on Islamabad putting an end to cross-border terrorism.

Former diplomat G. Parthasarathy told IANS that the Prime Minister’s visit was good for trade and investment and the energy sector, and there was an outreach to a large number of countries, from across Europe, Latin America and Asia.

On Imran Khan, he said that “Imran seemed determined to escalate tensions. I think he didn’t do himself any good by the sort of the language he used. And it spoke of a certain degree of political immaturity, and that’s not surprising as he’s not been a politically mature person.”