Modi rallies Indian Americans, lauds diaspora ahead of US election

NEW YORK – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi rallied the Indian community in the United States on Sept 22, citing the power of the diaspora ahead of the Nov 5 US presidential election along with the importance of the 2024 contest and democracy in general.

Mr Modi, speaking at a packed coliseum in New York’s Long Island suburbs that also featured Indian dancing and songs, did not comment specifically on the contest between US Vice-President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump.

“This year 2024 is a very important one for the entire world,” he said, according to a translation of his remarks.

“On the one hand, there are conflicts raging between several countries in the world, there is tension. And on the other, democracy is being celebrated in several countries of the world,” he told the crowd. “India and America are also together in the celebration of democracy.”

About 4.5 million people in the US identify as being of Indian descent, according to 2020 US Census data.

Trump has said

he will meet Mr Modi this week.

The Republican candidate faces a tight race against Ms Harris, who is of Indian descent.

Mr Modi secured his own historic third term earlier in 2024

and was sworn in as prime minister of the world’s most populous nation in June, following a shock election setback that left him facing the potential challenges of a coalition government after an election campaign marked by religious rhetoric.

He and Democratic President Joe Biden met in Delaware over the weekend one-on-one as well as part of the Quad grouping that also includes the leaders of Australia and Japan.

While a US official declined to say whether human rights issues were raised in the Biden-Modi talks, senior US officials met Sikh advocates ahead of the leaders’ meeting to discuss threats they face in the US. REUTERS