Remarks by President Biden and Prime Minister Modi of the Republic of India at Arrival Ceremony

Welcome, Mr. Prime Minister. Welcome back to the White House.

I've long believed that the relationship between the United States and India is one of the -- will be one of the defining relationships of the 21st century. Two proud nations -- two proud nations whose love of freedom secured our independence, bound by the same words in our Constitution -- the first three words: "We the People." The enduring ties and shared values between our people and the shared responsibility as global leaders to tackle the great issues of our time together.

I'm honored to be the first to have you here in 15 years. The United States is honoring and hosting an official visit for the Republic of India.

Prime Minister Modi, welcome back to the White House.

We've spent a lot of time -- we've spent a lot of time together, going back to when I was vice president and you had just become prime minister.

And since -- and since I've become president, we've continued a relationship built on mutual trust, candor, and respect. The challenges and opportunities facing the world in this century require that India and the United States work and lead together. And we are.

With your partnership, we've invigorated and elevated the Quad between the United States, India, Australia, and Japan to advance our vision of a free, open, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

Decades from now -- decades from now, people will look back and say the Quad bent the arc of history toward "global good," as the Prime Minister describes it.

Together, India and the United States are working closely on everything from ending poverty and expanding access to healthcare to addressing climate change to tackling food and energy insecurity stoked by Russia's unprovoked war on Ukraine.

We've made critical and emerging technologies the pillar of our next-generation partnership to ensure that these technologies promote and protect our values, remain open, accessible, and trusted, and secure.

All this matters for America, for India, and for the world.

We face an inflection point, one of those moments that only come around every several generations, when so much is changing technolo- -- technologically, politically, socially, and environmentally that the decisions we make today are going to determine our future for decades to come.

And as democracies, we can better tap into the full talent of all of our people and attract investments as true and trusted partners, as leading nations, with our great- -- greatest export being the power of our example.

Equity under the law, freedom of expression, religious pluralism, and diversity of our people -- these core principles have endured and evolved, even as they have faced challenges throughout each of our nations' histories, and will fuel our strength, depth, and future.

And they form a special bond among our nations, forged by the special bond among our people, based on values that are universal: a duty to family and elders; treating all people with respect and dignity; a premium on education and creativity; self-discipline, hard work, entrepreneurship; faith and service to community; courage and resilience; and tolerance and opportunity for all.

I've seen this dynamism in my visits to India. I see it in Indian-American diaspora that reflects every part of American life and remains a bridge between our nations and only grows stronger with each generation.

We see it with record numbers of Indian Americans serving in the United States Congress. We see it here at the White House, where proud Americans with Indian heritage serve our country every day, including our Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris.

The granddaughter -- the proud granddaughter of an Indian civil servant, daughter of an Indian student turned American scientist who came to the United States when she was only 19 years old to pursue her dream of curing cancer. A family like so many of ours in our nation that speaks to the thousand stories of determination, courage, and hope.

Stories that define the relationship and the limitless possibilities between the United States and India: two great nations, two great friends, two great powers that can define the course of the 21st century.

Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for your partnership. And I'll turn it over to you.

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