NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi said on Saturday that the interim trade agreement with the US is yet more evidence of the international community’s growing trust in India and said the series of recent trade deals marks country’s transformation from just a huge market to a hub of investment and trade. While addressing a community event of persons of Indian origin in Kuala Lumpur, he said, “Whether it is the UK, UAE, Australia, New Zealand, Oman, EU or US, countries have trade deals with India. Trust has become India’s strongest currency” – drawing an enthusiastic response from an estimated 10,000-strong audience. He said India was earlier seen as just a huge market but is now considered a hub of investment and trade. India is seen as a trusted partner for growth, he added. The PM said the framework for a trade agreement reflected the growing depth, trust and dynamism of partnership between India and theUS. “I thank President Trump for his personal commitment to robust ties between our nations,” the PM said. This strengthens ‘Make in India‘ by opening new opportunities for India’s hardworking farmers, entrepreneurs, MSMEs, startup innovators, fishermen and more and will generate large-scale employment for women and youngsters, he added. “India and the US share a commitment to promoting innovation and this framework will further deepen investment and technology partnerships between us,” he said, adding that this framework will also strengthen resilient and trusted supply chains and contribute to global growth. “As India moves forward towards building a ‘Viksit Bharat’, we remain committed to building global partnerships that are future-oriented, empower our people and contribute to shared prosperity,” Modi said. The PM has been in an upbeat mood over the recent trade deals, especially the big-ticket ones with the EU and the US, celebrating them in the closed-door meeting with the governing alliance MPs as well in his speech in Parliament as a global endorsement of India’s rising economic heft. The deal with the US will be in all likelihood raised by the opposition when Parliament meets on Monday as Congress and other parties have accused govt of compromising Indian interests.
