Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday achieved a significant milestone in his diplomatic journey by delivering his 17th address to a foreign nation’s Parliament, equaling the combined total of all Congress Prime Ministers before him. The achievement came during his speech at the Namibian Parliament, which ended with a standing ovation and non-stop applause from lawmakers.
PM Modi’s landmark moment comes during his five-nation tour, which included stops in Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia. He addressed the parliaments of Ghana, Trinidad & Tobago, and Namibia during this trip alone.
In a post on X, the BJP said: “With his recent addresses in the Parliaments of Ghana, Trinidad & Tobago, and Namibia, PM Modi has now delivered 17 speeches to foreign Parliaments -matching the combined total of all Congress Prime Ministers over several decades. He has achieved in just over a decade what took others generations, reaffirming his stature as one of India’s most globally respected leaders.”
PM MODI MATCHES CONGRESS RECORD IN A DECADE
Congress Prime Ministers together including Manmohan Singh (7), Indira Gandhi (4), Jawaharlal Nehru (3), Rajiv Gandhi (2), and PV Narasimha Rao (1) — addressed foreign parliaments 17 times over several decades.
In comparison, PM Modi has matched that total in just over ten years. Former non-Congress PMs Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Morarji Desai addressed foreign legislatures twice and once respectively.
PM Modi began this diplomatic tradition in 2014, delivering speeches in Australia, Fiji, Bhutan, and Nepal. He followed up with Parliament addresses in Mauritius, Mongolia, Afghanistan, the UK, and Sri Lanka in 2015. He spoke before the US Congress in 2016 and again in 2023, and addressed Uganda (2018), Maldives (2019), and Guyana (2024) in subsequent years.
INDIA-AFRICA TIES BUILT TO COOPERATE: PM MODI
In his Namibian Parliament address, PM Modi emphasised India’s development partnership with Africa, valued at over USD 12 billion, and its alignment with Africa’s Agenda 2063 for industrialisation.
“We seek not to compete, but to cooperate. Our goal is to build together. Not to take, but to grow together,” PM Modi said.
He reiterated India’s commitment to its 2018 principles of engagement with Africa, highlighting cooperation in defence, security, innovation, and job creation, while recalling India’s support during the COVID-19 pandemic, including vaccines and medical aid under the Aarogya Maitri initiative.
PM Modi concluded his tour on Wednesday, departing from Namibia and returning to New Delhi, capping off a highly symbolic and diplomatically impactful visit across five nations and three continents.
– Ends
(With Inputs from ANI)
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