Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, currently on a multi-day US visit, addressed a cultural celebration on Long Island Sunday, sharing exciting news with an enthusiastic crowd of over 13,000, The Associated Press reports.
Modi announced India’s double gold medal win at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary, receiving loud applause from the audience.
“In the Chess Olympiad, in both the men’s and women’s tournament, India has won gold medals,” he said. “This year, 2024, is a very important one for the entire world.”
Modi also praised the United States’ return of nearly 300 antiquities to India.
“India and America are also together in this celebration of democracy,” he said.
The Prime Minister’s appearance in New York came just a day after attending a summit hosted by President Joe Biden in Wilmington, Delaware, for leaders of the Quad (also including Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese of Australia and Fumio Kishida of Japan).
On Saturday, Modi accepted the return of 297 antiquities dating back thousands of years that had been stolen or trafficked from India. Since 2016, the US has returned nearly 600 cultural artifacts to India, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
Modi is expected to attend a United Nations summit in advance of this week’s General Assembly.
