Opening Remarks for 75th Republic Day Celebration on 26 Jan 2024
H.E Executive Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, Hon’ble Ministers and Vice Ministers, Hon’ble Governors of Provinces, Deputies of the National Assembly, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, distinguished academicians and intellectuals, Members from the media and the Indian community, Friends of India,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Namaskar, Buenas Noches (Good Evening) to all of you,
On behalf of the Government of India and the Indian Embassy in Caracas, I extend my warm greetings and welcome all of you at this celebration of 75th Republic Day of India.
Republic Day is the day when the people of India gave themselves a constitution that reflected their hopes and aspirations. As we celebrate the 75th Republic Day, we feel proud of India’s achievements.
Hundreds of millions of people have been lifted out of poverty and now enjoy access to health, education and other social benefits. Our achievements in the fields of science, technology, space, nuclear energy, sports and culture are equally impressive. However, India’s journey towards progress and prosperity continues.
The Government has launched a series of initiatives to achieve rapid socio-economic transformation of India. We seek to build a country where basic needs of all citizens will be met. A country that will become the global hub for technology and innovation. A country that seeks development and prosperity of not only its own citizens but of the entire world. Together, with trust and confidence, we shall prosper – this is our motto.
Countries around the world show a growing interest in India for its potential to become an additional engine of growth; its ability to provide a large pool of human talent; and its model of governance based on democratic traditions and the rule of law.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
2023 was a year with some important landmarks. India G20 presidency with the theme: “One Earth, One Family, One Future”, strived to revitalise multilateralism, amplify the voice of the Global South, champion development, and fight for the empowerment of women. The inclusion of the African Union (AU) as a permanent member of the G20, integrated 55 African nations into the forum, expanding it to encompass 80% of the global population. This proactive stance has fostered a more comprehensive dialogue on global challenges and opportunities.
The G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration embodies a renewed spirit of collaboration across the key priorities, focusing on policy coherence, reliable trade, and ambitious climate action.
By hosting 2 editions of the 'Voice of the Global South Summit,' India heralded a new dawn of multilateralism by mainstreaming the Global South's concerns in international discourse, and has ushered in an era where developing countries take their rightful place in shaping the global narrative. We are glad that Venezuela participated in both the editions of this summit.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
India's economy has rebounded strongly from the pandemic, and is on track to be one of the fastest growing major economies in the world this year. A recently released IMF report affirmed that India’s robust economic growth, propelled by key reforms in digitization and infrastructure, now accounted for over 16% of the global growth.
Some of other impressive list of achievements include -
Air India’s order for 470 planes with Airbus and Boeing, was the world's largest-ever single-tranche aircraft purchase valued at over 70 billion dollars.
India's Chandrayaan-3 mission helped the country achieve the landmark of being the first nation to reach the Moon's South Pole. Notably, over 100 women scientists and engineers contributed to this historic mission.
For the lovers of entertainment, it was a double-delight at the Oscars last year. Kartiki Gonsalves won the Academy Award for Tamil documentary The Elephant Whisperers, making her the first Indian film director to achieve this distinction. Telugu film RRR’s “Naatu Naatu” won the Oscar for the Best Original Song category.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
There is a strong desire both at people-to-people level as well as at leadership level to further strengthen and expand the bilateral partnership between India and Venezuela. The Indian diaspora has always acted as a bridge of friendship and has an important role to play towards achieving this objective.
Initiatives like Cultura de la India, Namaste India, Bollywood y Arepa, Khana de la India, and Youth Vani have brought India closer to the people of Venezuela and forged deep cultural linkages between us. We have also set up ‘India Corners’ with books on Indian history and culture in the universities in Caracas, Bolivar, Apure, Aragua, Guarico and Amazonas. I am sure that we will work closer together this year to explore newer areas of cooperation and to forge stronger bonds.
In conclusion, I once again extend warm greetings and best wishes to all of you. Enjoy the rest of your evening. Gracias!
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