Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a stark warning about the current global situation while addressing the Indian community in The Hague during the second leg of his five-nation tour. Modi stated that 'Today, humanity faces many major challenges as well. The world is dealing with new challenges. First came the Corona pandemic; then wars began to break out, and now there is an energy crisis. This decade is turning into a decade of disasters for the world.' The Prime Minister cautioned against the risk of 'return of massive poverty' if the world fails to learn from recent global crises, describing the past few years as severely affected by Covid-19 pandemic, ongoing geopolitical conflicts, and sharp spikes in fuel and food prices. Modi emphasized that without prudent policies, strong governance, and sustained economic reforms, the gains made in poverty alleviation over the past decade could be reversed, leading to a resurgence of widespread poverty. His comments come as fuel prices in India have increased for the first time in four years after global oil prices surged due to tensions in West Asia and disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz. As per The Times of India, Modi warned that 'If this situation does not change quickly, the achievements of past decades could be wiped away. A large section of the world's population could fall back into the trap of poverty.'
PM Modi highlighted India's remarkable transformation in the global startup ecosystem during his address to the Indian community in The Hague. As reported by Press Trust of India, he noted that India now has the world's third-largest startup network, with nearly 125 active unicorns emerging from the country. The Prime Minister emphasized that 'Our startups are doing remarkable work in AI, defence and space sector,' positioning India as both technology-driven and humanity-focused. He described the country as 'a land of opportunities' and called for increased investment from the Indian diaspora to strengthen India's potential. Modi highlighted India's own experience, noting that timely policy interventions and structural reforms helped the country not only recover from the pandemic but also emerge stronger. He pointed to India's startup ecosystem growth, noting that the country had only four unicorns in 2014, demonstrating the rapid expansion of India's innovation culture.
PM Modi positioned India-Netherlands partnership as a stabilizing force amid global challenges, highlighting joint efforts to build economic resilience. Addressing the Indian community in The Hague, Modi stated that 'India and the Netherlands can coordinate in the global arena and work together on securing global projects'. He emphasized that 'India and the Netherlands are working together to create trusted, transparent and future-ready supply chains to counter growing global disruptions' and noted that both countries can coordinate more closely on international projects and deepen cooperation in sectors including trade, technology, defence and renewable energy. Modi also called for greater international cooperation on issues like supply chain stability, energy security, and food security to prevent similar crises from pushing vulnerable populations back into poverty. As per The Times of India, Modi highlighted that 'In such global circumstances, the world today is talking about resilient supply chains, and India and the Netherlands are working together to build a trusted and transparent supply chain.'
The Prime Minister outlined India's recent landmark achievements in hosting major international events. According to Press Trust of India, Modi highlighted that India successfully hosted the world's largest and most successful AI Summit, followed by the G20 Summit. He emphasized that 'These were not one-time events. This has now become the character of today's India.' Modi also referenced India's historic lunar achievement, stating that the country reached parts of the Moon where no one had gone before, demonstrating the scale of India's technological advancement. He pointed to India's recent hosting of major international events, including the AI Summit and the G20 Summit, saying these reflected the country's growing global stature and 'This has now become the character of today's India.'
PM Modi outlined India's expanded global aspirations and cultural values during his address to the Indian community in The Hague. The Prime Minister described modern India as both 'technology-driven and humanity-driven', saying the country is undergoing an unprecedented transformation. 'India in the 21st century is a land of opportunities. India is both technology-driven and humanity-driven. India is becoming as modern as it is ancient,' Modi stated. Addressing a cheering audience, Modi said 'India today is saying we don't just want transformation, we want the best, we want the fastest. That is why when there are unlimited aspirations in India, the efforts are also becoming limitless.' He outlined India's larger global goals, stating that 'India wants to host the Olympics, become a global manufacturing hub, emerge as a leader in green energy, and become the growth engine of the world.' In the concluding part of his speech, Modi reflected on India's cultural continuity, stating 'Generations have changed, countries have changed, environments have changed... but the family values have not changed' and noting that 'Generations have changed, countries have changed, environments have changed... but the family values have not changed'.
