Govt worked hard for building developed, inclusive India: PM Narendra Modi

India is going through a period of change and the government in the last four years has worked towards building a developed and inclusive country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here tonight.

Addressing the Indian diaspora at the Stockholm University here, Modi said earlier removing poverty was limited to just words and slogans, but his government was committed to poverty alleviation and was using empowerment as a tool to achieve its goal.

"The country is going through a period of change. Presently, there is a government in India which for the country's prestige, self respect and taking it to new heights in the 21st century, is working day and night," Modi said amidst loud cheers from the audience.

"In the last four years, the government has worked for building a developed and inclusive India. It has worked for creating a New India by 2022," the prime minister said.

Modi slams Opposition, exhorts party workers on BJP's 38th foundation day

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hit out at the Opposition parties, saying the strength of BJP is affecting them and they are unable to digest that a person born into a backward family is serving the nation.

Addressing the party workers on Bharatiya Janata Party's 38th foundation day, Modi gave a clarion call to party cadres to keep working for the nation and never get agitated by negativity of "vested interest groups".

His remarks came on a day the budget session of Parliament ended with acrimony between the BJP and the opposition led by Congress over various issues leading to washout of the second leg of budget session.

"We are living in a time when the Opposition to BJP is at its highest. Sometimes, it also takes a violent turn. This is not because we made a mistake. It is the strength of the BJP that is affecting our opponents", said Modi.

From 'Shalom Bollywood' to seeing the Taj: Netanyahu to land in India today

Six months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic visit to Israel, first ever by any Indian prime minister to the Jewish nation, his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu is arriving in India today for a six-day state visit.

The Israeli Prime Minister, who is the second Prime Minister from his country after Ariel Sharon to visit India in the last 25 years of a diplomatic relationship, will be accompanied by a 130-member delegation from various sectors including cyber, agriculture and defence.

Later in the day, he will call on External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj.

The visiting dignitary, on Monday, will be given a ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhawan which will be followed by the wreath laying at the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi.

Netanyahu will also meet his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi and hold delegation level talks.

The two sides will sign agreements and also issue a joint press statement. The Israeli Prime Minister will call on President Ram Nath Kovind later in the day.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu, accompanied by his wife Sara, will leave for Agra to see Taj Mahal. On the same day, he will visit Delhi and participate in the Raisina Dialogue, where he is scheduled to deliver an inaugural speech.
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Speculation swirls over possible Modi, Sharif meet at SCO Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday attended a reception and a gala show, marking the beginning of the two-day-long SCO Summit, even as speculation swirled over a possible meeting between him and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif to defuse tensions in bilateral ties.

Modi, Sharif, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping were among the top leaders who attended the reception hosted by Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev. It was not known whether Modi and Sharif exchanged pleasantries at the reception.

When asked whether he will have a meeting with Modi, Sharif, before leaving for the reception, only smiled and waved at the media persons which many interpreted as an indication of a possible meeting or at least a pull aside between the two leaders.

Sartaj Aziz, the Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs, too did not respond to a query on a possible Modi-Sharif tete-e-tete.

India has been maintaining that there was neither any request from the Pakistani side nor any such proposal from the Indian side for a Modi-Sharif meeting.

Both Modi and Sharif arrived in Kazakhstan's capital to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit which will tomorrow induct both India and Pakistan as its full members.

Ties between India and Pakistan have nosedived over a range of issues including beheading of two soldiers by the Pakistan military along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir and the death sentence handed down to former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav by a military court in Pakistan on charges of spying. The International Court of Justice has stayed Jadhav's execution.

The Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir has also been witnessing rising tensions.

The events related to the SCO Summit got underway with a spectacular concert this evening.

Indian classical dance Kathak was the first to be featured after the host nation Kazakhstan's ensemble.

Eight dancers from Bengaluru-based NADAM put up 'Mahaganapathim' -- an ode to the god of auspicious beginnings, Lord Ganesha.

India was the only observer country to perform in the concert which featured traditional and western classical music and dance performances from China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, apart from the hosts.
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