Prime Minister Modi used the prestigious stage to highlights India’s concern over terrorism. Without naming Pakistan, the PM said that terrorism was a global challenge and that it was “incubated in India’s neighbourhood.”
“From the western borders of India to Africa, it goes by different names – Lashkar-e-Taiba or Al Qaeda or ISIS. They all speak the same language of terrorism,” Modi said.
“Globally, terrorism remains the biggest threat, going by different names, but with the common philosophy of hate, murder and violence. Although it’s shadow is spreading across the world, terrorism is incubated in India’s neighbourhood,” Modi added.
“In granting me this opportunity, you have honoured the world’s largest democracy and its 1.25 billion people,” PM Modi said beginning his 40-minute speech, adding, “As a representative of the world’s largest democracy, it is indeed a privilege to speak to the leaders of its oldest.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the US Congress today, the last of his three-day visit to Washington. Modi is the sixth Indian prime minister to speak at the joint session of the US Congress.
The first Indian PM to address a joint meeting of the US Congress was Rajiv Gandhi in 1985. Narasimha Rao in 1994, Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2000 and Manmohan Singh in 2005 were the other PMs who spoke at the the US Capitol, which houses the House of Representatives and the Senate. Country’s first PM Jawaharlal Nehru addressed the US Congress in 1949.

  PM Modi US Speech, Terrorrism, US parliament