21st century belongs to India, says Modi as he wows Indian community

Says terrorism and climate change are the main challenges facing the world

Addressing the 18,000-strong crowd of Indian-Americans at the SAP Centre, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the 21st century belongs to India and the world has begun to acknowledge the fact.

Modi, in an hour-long address, also said that terrorism and climate change are the main challenges facing the world and urged all nations to unite to face the twin threats.

In a rock star reception, which similar to the one he had received at Madison Square Garden last year, Modi asked the crowd for a "certificate" of his performance in the 16 months he has been in power.

Modi, who said he was visiting the West Coast after 25 years, said he was seeing a "vibrant picture" of India in the large Indian tech community that lives and works here.

Modi praised the "nimble fingers" of the Indian tech experts, who "have made the world acknowledge India" with their competence, innovations.

He also said he did not see the large numbers of Indians working in the US and other foreign countries as brain drain, but as "brain deposit".

On terrorism, he said, "The world has to realise that terrorism can hit anyone at anyplace, and it is the world's responsibility to recognise it and unite against terrorism." 

Hoping that in its 70th anniversary year, the United Nations would be able to define terrorism, Modi said: "We cannot safeguard humanity if we do not come to an agreement on what constitutes terrorism."

"Terrorism is terrorism, there can be no differentiation between good and bad terror," he said.

Mod also said he was trying to include space technology in the work of the government. He outlined his government's JAM initiative - J for Jan Dhan, A for Aadhaar card and M for mobile governance. He said the linking of the three would help eradicate corruption in the system.

"The JAM yojana will help to root out corruption," he said.

He also touched on skill development, Beti Bacho, Beti Padhao, and the soil health card, and neem coating for urea to help farmers.