Author: Bhakti Narayanan

The Indian diaspora in Delaware was abuzz with excitement as they welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with chants of “Modi, Modi” echoing near Philadelphia International Airport and the Hotel Dupont. Community members gathered from across the nation, eager to meet their leader. This visit marks a significant occasion for many in the diaspora, who expressed their admiration for PM Modi. Supporters highlighted their role as cultural ambassadors for India, with Dr. Avinash Gupta, president of the Federation of Indian Associations, underscoring the positive influence of Modi’s visit on US-India relations. During PM Modi’s address to the Indian community at Nassau…

India’s Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister, Mr. Hardeep Singh Puri, commended the country’s remarkable economic growth under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting its rise from the 10th largest economy in 2014 to the 5th largest by 2019, surpassing the UK. Speaking at a reception hosted by Consul General of India in Houston, Mr. D C Manjunath, at India House, he highlighted Houston’s pivotal role in global energy, particularly in green hydrogen and aerospace. Minister Puri also emphasized the importance of strengthening the US-India partnership in clean energy, praising India’s efforts in refining and biofuel blending, which aim to increase the…

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, at the 90th-anniversary event of the Bank of Maharashtra in Pune, lauded India’s achievements in the FinTech sector, specifically highlighting the success of UPI, which now facilitates 45% of global digital payments. She emphasized that digital platforms like UPI transcend borders, urging banks to leverage this transformative technology for deeper growth opportunities. During her speech, Sitharaman reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed India, or viksit bharat, by 2047, outlining three essential pillars: economic growth, social progress, and environmental sustainability. She noted that robust banking systems are integral to driving this agenda, stressing…

India has ascended to the position of the sixth-largest market in the MSCI All Country World Investable Market Index (ACWI IMI), overtaking China and now trailing just behind France. For the first time, India has claimed the title of the largest emerging market in this index, which monitors global capital market performance. As of the end of August, India held a weight of 2.35% in the MSCI ACWI IMI, edging past China’s 2.24% by 11 basis points. France remains slightly ahead with just 3 basis points more than India. The MSCI ACWI IMI includes large- and mid-cap stocks and is…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated his 74th birthday on September 17th, adding another remarkable year to his long tenure in public service. Like previous years, this occasion was marked with various development activities. Modi travelled to Odisha, where he launched several key initiatives and laid the foundation stones for important projects. His birthday also coincides with the start of ‘Seva Parv,’ a two-week-long festival organised annually by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to honour his dedication to public service and welfare. Born in Mehsana, Gujarat, on September 17, 1950, Modi has had an illustrious political career, serving as Gujarat’s chief…

In a significant grassroots initiative ahead of the 2024 presidential election, Indian Americans are organising Days of Action to support Kamala Harris. The campaign, named “Kamala ke Saath” (We’re with Kamala), will feature cultural events combined with canvassing efforts aimed at engaging South Asian voters in crucial swing states. These events will offer food, music, and speeches from prominent leaders before volunteers head out to canvas. The campaign targets swing states like Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan, and Arizona, where nearly 400,000 South Asian voters reside. The goal is to mobilise this influential voting bloc, which played a key role…

Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who have been stranded in space since their Boeing Starliner capsule departed without them, discussed their challenges on Friday. The duo expressed their frustrations over the prolonged mission, which now looks set to extend beyond the initially planned eight days to possibly more than eight months. This extension follows NASA’s decision to keep them in orbit after the Starliner, which was intended to return them, experienced significant issues. Wilmore and Williams made their first public statements since the Starliner’s return last week. They acknowledged the difficulties of their situation, noting that it was disheartening…

On September 21, President Joe Biden is set to host the fourth in-person Quad Leaders Summit in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware. This will be the first time as president that Biden welcomes foreign leaders to his birthplace. He will be joined by Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre expressed that Biden is eager to receive the prime ministers, reflecting the significance of the Quad partnership to all the nations involved. According to Jean-Pierre, the Biden-Harris administration has placed a high priority on strengthening…

According to a CNN poll conducted by SSRS, Vice President Kamala Harris is widely regarded as having outperformed Donald Trump in their recent presidential debate. The poll shows that 63% of debate viewers felt Harris performed better, compared to 37% who favoured Trump. This contrasts with a pre-debate poll by The New York Times and Siena College, which had indicated a close race between the two candidates. Harris’ supporters overwhelmingly felt she excelled, with 96% rating her performance as superior, while only 69% of Trump’s backers agreed he did well. Harris was noted for provoking Trump into defensive reactions on…

Rahul Gandhi’s recent remarks in the United States, questioning whether Sikhs will be able to wear their turban and ‘kada’ or visit Gurdwaras under the BJP-led regime, are at odds with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s demonstrated respect for Sikh culture. Modi has been seen wearing a Sikh turban during his visit to Takhat Sri Harminder Ji Patna Sahib in Bihar in May and has actively participated in Sikh customs, including cooking and serving Langar. During election rallies in Punjab, Modi was also seen sporting a Sikh turban. Two years ago, Modi hosted a Sikh delegation at his residence and wore…