We already knew of President Obama as a strong orator, and he clearly proved the fact once again by keeping the audience, live or all of those who watched him on TV, engrossed in the speech he presented at the Opening Ceremony of the 66th Indian Republic Day. Terrorism, International Trade and Finance, Nuclear Energy Treaties and continued Economic Development, seen as results of the combined efforts of India and the US were talked about impressively by Mr. Barack Obama.
Here are 10 reasons why we loved his words as much as we did.
1. He couldn’t have personalized the speech better.
Mr. Obama made sure that all the issues he talked about had his own perceptions on it infused into the speech. In addition to the international topics and official notes he talked on, he also made sure to include his personal experiences, such as the Diwali celebrations he arranged at the White House, his and Michelle’s previous trip to India et al in his speech. All these made his comment more impactful and enjoyable for the audience.
Source – http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/01/27/india-obama-idINKBN0L00F720150127
2. How would we ever forget the camaraderie that was Mobama?
Be it their tea-time at Lotus Garden, or the radio-show they recorded together, or their chats at the Military parade, one can definitely notice the friendship yet to come. What acts as a cherry on top, is Obama referring to NaMo more than once during his note. And well, it’s obviously a great stride towards strengthening relations between India and the United States, if the two leaders have good personal relations and work towards achhe din together, isn’t it?
Source – http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/09/30/president-obama-meets-indian-prime-minister-narendra-modi
3. He rejoiced in India’s religious acceptance and advised us to keep holding onto it strong.
In his own words, “India can succeed so long as it’s not splintered along religious lines; so long as it’s not splintered along any lines…All Indians, whatever your faith, go to the movies and applaud actors like Shah Rukh Khan; when you celebrate athletes like Milkha Singh or Mary Kom and every Indian can take pride in the courage of a humanitarian who liberates boys and girls from forced labour…that’s what unifies us.” He advised us to uphold the religious acceptance we practice as a country headed for sustainable social developments.
4. He’s enthusiastic about India’s strengthened economy, and he showed it.
“America wants to be your partner in igniting the next wave of Indian growth. As India pursues reforms to encourage more trade and investment, we’ll be the first in line,” said Mr. President. This, along with a few more statements, very clearly gives us an indication that the President is excited about India’s future. Would we get to experience the after-effects of the increased trade quite soon, then? Let’s wait and see.
5. USA, India and Climate Control.
Increased usage of cleaner energy resources such as solar energy, improvements in air quality in Indian cities and a clear confrontation on climate change, indicate the President’s concern related to climatic conditions in India and their impact on its progress. His own words make it sound better, “I think India’s voice is very important on this issue. Perhaps no country could potentially be more affected by the impacts of climate change, and no country is going to be more important in moving forward a strong agreement than India.”
6. Advancements in nuclear trade and other tech-collaborations.
Civil Nuclear Cooperation, indications of a Bilateral Investment Treaty and advancements in Security and Defense Cooperation also highlight the President’s interest in India secured future. Mr. Obama also appreciated Modi’s efforts in making business in India easier, as it makes international trade stronger between the two nations.
7. He endorsed India as the permanent member of UN Security Council.
“I reiterated — and reiterate to the Indian people today — that we support a reformed U.N. Security Council that includes India as a permanent member. At the same time, we see India playing a greater role in ensuring international security and peace and meeting shared challenges. As a leading contributor to U.N. peacekeeping missions for many years, India can help the world do even more to protect citizens in conflict zones.” There’s no guessing required here, is it?
8.The continued fight against Terrorism.
Terrorism, being one of the most grave issues our society faces today, wasn’t missing in the President’s words, “I thank the Prime Minister for India’s strong counterterrorism cooperation, and reiterated even as America’s combat mission is over in Afghanistan, we’re going to continue to be strong and reliable partners for the Afghan people, who have benefitted from India’s generous assistance over many years.” For now, we can hope that the combined efforts of the two superpowers yield beneficial results for both the affected and the affecters.
As he talked about India and the United States being two very important nations if the perspective we take is international harmony and world growth, his words had substance. The issues he talked about made sense and had concrete efforts taken up in their account.
On the other hand, there were also a few touches to his speech that made it very relatable and engrossing for the audience.
9. The President went desi, and we love him for that!
When Mr. President began his speech with a Namaste, he had us all then and there. What’s more? He then used phrases like pyaar bhara namaskar, bahott dhanyawaad and the best one till the end, a chai par charcha, and then, he had us better. We couldn’t like the President more for his love for Hindi!
10. But, Kabhi kabhi baate itni chhoti bhi nhi hoti, right?
Let’s face it, even Mr. President loves DDLJ. He made his affection for Bollywood movies very clear when he opened the line, “Bade bade desho mai,” and ended it with a quirky, “Well, you know what I mean.” Not only did he make the audience resonate with tons of laughter and a give a deafening applause, he made us love him more than we already do…And that’s how the POTUS swept the nation, and our hearts
Source – http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/dilwale-dulhania-le-jayenge/1/270086.html
By Snigdha Singh
