USA House speaker Paul Ryan invites Indian PM Narendra Modi to address US Congress

Last updated on 30th April 2016

Paul Ryan invites India's Modi to address Congress, http://edition.cnn.com/2016/04/28/politics/paul-ryan-indias-modi-address-congress/index.html, dated April 28th 2016

The above CNN article quotes USA Speaker Paul Ryan as saying, "The friendship between the United States and India is a pillar of stability in an important region of the world." and "This address presents a special opportunity to hear from the elected leader of the world's most populous democracy on how our two nations can work together to promote our shared values and to increase prosperity."

Ravi: I applaud and thank USA House speaker Paul Ryan for the above honour being extended to my country's (India's) Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi. I do look forward to seeing PM Modi's address which would, I am quite sure, strengthen USA-India relationship.

The Times of India (a mainstream Indian newspaper) has provided the full text of the letter, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Text-of-US-lawmakers-letter-to-House-Speaker-asking-him-to-invite-PM-Modi-to-address-Congress/articleshow/51904477.cms, sent to USA speaker Paul Ryan requesting him to invite PM Modi to address the Senate and the House of Representatives. The letter was sent by the following four USA Congressmen:
1) Ed Royce, Republican Congressman from California, who is also the Chairman of the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Royce
2) Eliot Engel, Democratic Congressman from New York, who is the ranking minority member of the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliot_Engel
3) George Holding, Republican Congressman from North Carolina, co-chair of Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Holding
4) Ami Bera, Democratic Congressman from California, co-chair of Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ami_Bera

I have given below the contents of that letter (courtesy Times of India link above):

The Honorable Paul D. Ryan
Speaker of the House
H-232, The Capitol
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Speaker Ryan:

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Washington on June 7th and 8th of this year. Given the depth of our relationship with India across a range of areas -- defense, humanitarian and disaster relief, space cooperation, conservation, and innovation, -- we believe this is an ideal opportunity for the Congress to hear directly from the Prime Minister. Therefore, we ask that you invite Prime Minister Modi to address a Joint Meeting of Congress. It is our understanding that if invited, the Prime Minister would accept.

The U.S. partnership with India is based on a foundation of shared values, including the rule of law, electoral democracy, and religious pluralism. This renewed partnership has found champions in the leadership of both parties, including both President Clinton and President George W. Bush, and has been further emboldened in the United States by a strong, proud, and growing Indian-American diaspora.

The U.S.-India relationship has seen significant growth. President Obama has visited India twice, and Prime Minister Modi reciprocated with two trips of his own to the United States. Our two countries have signed a defense framework agreement to increase military cooperation and the civilian nuclear agreement, signed in 2008, will result in the construction of nuclear power plants in India. Additionally, the United States and India are forging closer ties to address humanitarian crises, such as the aftermath of the earthquake in Nepal, in the renewable energies sector, and in space exploration. It is no wonder that the partnership has been characterized as the defining partnership of the 21st century.

The U.S.-India relationship consistently garners strong bipartisan support. Inviting Prime Minister Modi to address a Joint Meeting will allow Congress to express support for this special global partnership.

Thank you for considering this request.

Sincerely,

EDWARD R. ROYCE
Chairman

ELIOT ENGEL
Ranking Member

GEORGE HOLDING
Member of Congress

AMI BERA
Member of Congress

--- end full text of letter sent to Speaker Paul Ryan ---

Ravi: As an Indian citizen living in India but who has spent nearly two years living in the USA in the 80s and early 90s, and has interacted extensively with Americans over the decades, and continues to do so even today, I am fully supportive of the partnership between India and USA. I don't know whether it is or will be a defining partnership of the 21st century. However, there is no doubt in my mind that the core shared values between India and the USA, namely, religious pluralism and democracy, as well as great levels of person-to-person contact between Indian citizens and USA citizens (of Indian origin as well as those who are NOT of Indian origin), makes the India-USA partnership a very natural partnership that has benefited and will continue to benefit both countries, materially and spiritually.