Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Singh in Joint Press Conference in New Delhi, India

Hyderabad House, New Delhi, India

1:00 P.M. IST

      PRIME MINISTER SINGH:  Your Excellency, President Barack Obama, distinguished representatives of the media, I’m delighted to welcome President Obama and his gracious wife on their first visit to our country.  I welcome the President as a personal friend and a great charismatic leader who has made a deep imprint on world affairs through his inclusive vision of peace, security and welfare for all peoples and all nations.

      The President and the First Lady have made an abiding impression on the people of India with their warmth, with their grace, and with their commitment to promoting the relationship between our two great democracies.

      President Obama yesterday characterized the India-U.S. partnership as one of the defining and indispensable partnerships of the 21st century.  In my discussion with the President, we have decided to accelerate the deepening of our ties and to work as equal partners in a strategic relationship that will positively and decisively influence world peace, stability and progress.

      We welcome the decision by the United States to lift control from exports of high-technology items and the technologies to India, and support India’s membership in multilateral export control regimes such as the Nuclear Suppliers Group.  This is a manifestation of the growing trust and confidence in each other.
      We have agreed on steps to expand our cooperation in space, civil nuclear defense and other high-end sectors.  We have  announced specific initiatives in the areas of clean energy, health and agriculture.  These include a joint clean energy research and development center, the establishment of a global disease detection center in India, and an agreement for cooperation in weather and crop forecasting.  

      We have decided to hold a higher education summit next year. Cooperation in the field of education holds great promise because no two other countries are better equipped to be partners in building the knowledge economy of the future.

      The United States is one of our largest trading partners.  Our trade is balanced and growing.  India is among the fastest-growing sources of investment in the United States.  Indian investments have helped to increase the competitiveness of the U.S. economy.  We welcome increased U.S. investment and high-technology flows in key sectors of our economy, including the sector of nuclear energy.

      We have agreed to facilitate trade and people-to-people exchanges, recognizing that protectionism is detrimental to both our economies.

      I conveyed our gratitude to the President for the cooperation we have received in our counterterrorism measures post-Mumbai.  We will start a new homeland security dialogue to deepen this cooperation.

      We had a detailed exchange on the situation in our extended region, including East Asia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and West Asia. We have a shared vision of security, stability and prosperity in Asia based on an open and inclusive regional architecture.  We have agreed to broaden our strategic dialogue to cover other regions and areas, and initiate joint projects in Africa and Afghanistan.

      As states possessing nuclear weapons, we have today put forth a common vision of a world without nuclear weapons, and decided to lead global efforts for nonproliferation and universal and non-discriminating global nuclear disarmament.  This is a historic and bold bilateral initiative.

      We also decided to strengthen cooperation to tackle nuclear terrorism and we welcome U.S. participation in the Global Center of Nuclear Energy Partnership, which will be set up in India.

      President Obama is a sincere and a valued friend of our country, and our discussions have led to a meeting of minds.  Ours is a partnership based on common values and interests, a shared vision of the world, and the deep-rooted ties of friendship among our two peoples.  I look forward to working with the President to realize the enormous potential of this partnership of our two countries.

      I now invite President Obama to make his remarks.  And I thank you.  (Applause.)

      PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Thank you very much, Prime Minister Singh. And good afternoon, everyone.  I want to begin by saying how thrilled my wife Michelle and I and our entire delegation are to be here in India.  We have been received with incredible warmth and incredible hospitality.  And that includes the hospitality of our friends, Prime Minister Singh and his lovely wife Mrs. Kaur, who we thank for such graciousness and a wonderful dinner last night.

      As I've said throughout my visit, I have come to India because I believe that the relationship between the United States and India is indispensable to addressing the challenges of our time -- from creating economic opportunity for our people to confronting terrorism and violent extremism; from preventing the spread of nuclear weapons to addressing climate change; from the development that gives people and nations a path out of poverty to advancing human rights and values that are universal.  None of this will be possible without strong cooperation between the United States and India.

      Moreover, as Prime Minister Singh alluded to, ours is no ordinary relationship.  As the world’s two largest democracies, as large and growing free market economies, as diverse, multiethnic societies with strong traditions of pluralism and tolerance, we have not only an opportunity but also a responsibility to lead.

      And that’s why I believe that the relationship between the United States and India will, in fact, be one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century.  That’s why I've worked with the Prime Minister, a man of extraordinary intellect and great integrity, to deepen and broaden the cooperation between our two countries.  And I very much look forward to addressing the Indian Parliament and the people of India later today to discuss how the United States and India can take our partnership to the next level, with a vision of how we can work together as global partners.

      With the progress we’ve made today, we’re seeing just how broad and deep our cooperation can be.  As President, I've had the opportunity to appear with many of my foreign counterparts at press conferences such as this, but I cannot remember an occasion when we have agreed to so many new partnerships across so many areas as we have during my visit.

      We’ve expanded trade and investment to create prosperity for our people.  The major trade deals that were signed in Mumbai were an important step forward in elevating India to one of America’s top trading partners.  Today I'm pleased to welcome India’s preliminary agreement to purchase 10 C-17 cargo planes, which will enhance Indian capabilities and support 22,000 jobs back in the United States.

      We agreed to reform our controls on exports, and the United States will remove Indian organizations from the so-called “entity list,” which will allow greater cooperation in a range of high-tech sectors like civil space and defense.  And we agreed to keep working to reduce trade barriers and resist protectionism.

      As a result of this visit, we are already beginning to implement our civil nuclear agreement.  We agreed to deepen our cooperation in pursuit of clean energy technologies, and this includes the creation of a new clean energy research center here in India, and continuing our joint research into solar, biofuels, shale gas, and building efficiency.  And we agreed to new partnerships including forestry and sustainable development of land to help meet the commitments we made at Copenhagen to combat climate change.

      To ensure the safety of our citizens, we’re deepening our efforts to prevent terrorism.  Cooperation between our countries’ intelligence and law enforcement communities has already reached unprecedented levels.  And today, we’re taking another step -- a new effort between our Department of Homeland Security and the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs to improve security at our ports, our airports, and our borders.

      I also discussed with the Prime Minister our efforts in Afghanistan, and once again thanked him and the Indian people for the generous contributions that India has made towards development and improving the lives of the Afghan people.  We agreed on the need for all nations in the region to work together and ensure that there are no safe havens for terrorists.

      We’re expanding our efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation.  In keeping with its commitment at our Nuclear Security Summit, India will build a new center of excellence for nuclear energy and security to help reach our goal of securing vulnerable nuclear materials in four years.

      Given India’s growing role in the region, we also agreed to deepen our consultations on East Asia.  Given India’s growing role on the world stage, we’ll expand our dialogue on global issues.  And we discussed the need for international institutions, including the United Nations, to reflect the realities of the 21st century -- which I will discuss further in my address to Parliament.

      Finally, we continue to expand partnerships between our peoples.  To promote global health, we're moving ahead with a new disease detection center here in New Delhi.  Building on our successful efforts to expand educational exchanges, including our Singh-Obama 21st Century Knowledge Initiative, we’ll convene a summit to forge new collaborations in higher education.  And we're announcing two initiatives today that harness technology to deliver progress for our people.

      Building on the Indian and American agricultural collaboration that led to the Green Revolution, we're launching a new partnership for a Evergreen Revolution to improve food security around the world.  We're also launching a new partnership to promote open government and to empower citizens.  And in my address to Parliament I'll be discussing why these efforts can be models for the kind of cooperation that not only benefits America and India, but benefits other nations as well.

      So, taken together, all of these partnerships, all these initiatives make it clear the relationship between the United States and India is stronger, deeper and broader than ever before.

      So, Mr. Prime Minister, again I thank you for your partnership and for your friendship.  I am confident that as India’s influence in the world continues to rise, so, too, will the opportunities for even closer cooperation between our two countries.  And that will mean even greater security and prosperity for India, for the United States, for this region, and for the world.

      Thank you very much, Mr. Prime Minister.  (Applause.)

      MODERATOR:  Thank you, Mr. President.

      The Prime Minister and the President would be happy to take two questions each from the Indian and the American media.  You are requested to please restrict yourself to one question either to the Prime Minister or the President and indicate whom the question is addressed to.  The first question goes to the American side.

      MR. GIBBS:  Scott Wilson from The Washington Post.

      Q    Thank you, Mr. President, Prime Minister.

      Mr. President, after a difficult and violent summer in Kashmir, perhaps the chief flashpoint between your chief ally in the Afghanistan war and India, could you explain your administration’s policy towards Kashmir and what role the United States might play in resolving that crisis?  And if I might, could you please -- this morning you called India a world power. Is it possible anymore to stand in the way of India’s bid for a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council?

      And, Prime Minister --

      MODERATOR:  Sir, I will request you to please restrict yourself to one question.

      Q    Not one each?

      MODERATOR:  Please one question, if it’s possible.  Please restrict yourself to one question to one of the leaders.  Thank you.

      Q    Okay.  Prime Minister -- may I address the Prime Minister?

      MODERATOR:  All right.

      Q    Thank you.  To follow on a question that was asked yesterday by a student in Mumbai, do you believe that the United States should refer to Pakistan as a terrorist state?

      PRESIDENT OBAMA:  With respect to Kashmir, obviously this is a longstanding dispute between India and Pakistan.  As I said yesterday, I believe that both Pakistan and India have an interest in reducing tensions between the two countries.  The United States cannot impose a solution to these problems, but I’ve indicated to Prime Minister Singh that we are happy to play any role that the parties think is appropriate in reducing these tensions.  That’s in the interests of the region, it’s in the interests of the two countries involved, and it’s in the interests of the United States of America.

      So my hope is that conversations will be taking place between the two countries.  They may not start on that particular flashpoint.  There may be confidence-building measures that need to take place.  But I’m absolutely convinced that it is both in India’s and Pakistan’s interest to reduce tensions, and that will enable them I think to focus on the range of both challenges and opportunities that each country faces.

      I do want to make this point, though, that I think Prime Minister Singh, throughout his career and throughout his prime-ministership, has consistently spoken out both publicly and privately on his desire, his personal commitment, to reduce tensions between India and Pakistan.  And for that, I very much commend him.  I think Prime Minister Singh is sincere and relentless in his desire for peace.

      And so my hope is, is that both sides can, over the next several months, several years, find mechanisms that are appropriate for them to work out what are these very difficult issues.

      Mr. Prime Minister.

      Q    (Inaudible.)

      PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Oh, well, I was instructed to only take one question.  (Laughter.)  It looks like the Indian and the American press are collaborating.  That's not the kind of partnership we were looking for.  (Laughter.)  But I will be addressing that issue in my speech in Parliament today, so if you’ll just have a little bit of patience.

      PRIME MINISTER SINGH:  Mr. President, as far as India’s relations with Pakistan are concerned, I’ve always maintained that a strong, peaceful, moderate Pakistan is in the interest of India, is in the interest of South Asia and the world as a whole.

      We are committed to engage Pakistan.  We are committed to resolve all outstanding issues between our two countries, including the word “K” -- we're not afraid of that.  But it is our request that you cannot simultaneously be talking and at the same time the terror machine is as active as ever before.  Once Pakistan moves away from this terror-induced coercion, we will be very happy to engage productively with Pakistan to resolve all outstanding issues.

      Q    Mr. President, my question to you, sir, you’ve consistently said India, as an emerging power, has potential to be America’s most important strategic partner.  What is your vision for India in the next decade?  And how vital is this relationship for your administration -- in your administration’s worldview?  Thank you.

      PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, first of all, this relationship is extraordinarily important to me -- and don't just take my word for it, I think, look at our actions.  Obviously this trip has been of enormous significance.  It’s no accident that this is the longest time that I've spent in a foreign country since I've been President.

      And both the Prime Minister and I have alluded to why I think this partnership can be so important.  We are the world’s two largest democracies.  We have both a set of values and principles that we share that I believe are universal:  the belief in individual liberty, in freedom of the press, in freedom of political assembly, in human rights.  We both have large market economies.

      And the person-to-person contacts between India and the United States are unparalleled.  We have millions of Indian-Americans who are helping to grow our country each and every day. And we have hundreds of thousands of students from India who are studying in the United States and then bringing back what they’ve learned to help develop India.

      And so on the commercial level, on the person-to-person level, the strategic level, I think this partnership is incredibly important.

      As I said yesterday, I don’t think India is emerging -- it has emerged.  India is a key actor on the world stage.  And given that we have these values that we share, at a time when there are still too many conflicts, there are still too many misunderstandings between nations, when principles like democracy and human rights too often are not observed, for our two countries to be able to stand together to promote those principles -- in international forums, by the example that we set, by the bilateral ties that we form -- I think can be incredibly powerful and incredibly important.

      And one last point I want to make on this.  This is a belief that is shared by Republicans and Democrats in the United States. I mean, if you think about what’s happened in our relationship, how it’s evolved over the last 15 to 20 years -- you had President Clinton, a Democrat; President Bush, a Republican; and now me, another Democrat -- each of us reaffirming in a steady, committed way, why the U.S.-India relationship is so important.

      And so we are going to continue to cultivate this.  We will continue to nurture it.  We have business leaders who are here today and have been working actively in the private sector to strengthen those ties.  We want to make sure that our governments are acting in that same constructive way.  And if we do so, then I think that's not only going to benefit India and the United States, but I think ultimately will benefit the world as well.

      PRIME MINISTER SINGH:  The foremost concern of the Indian polity is to grapple with the problem of poverty, ignorance and disease which still afflict millions of our citizens.  For that, we need a strong, resurgent, robust rate of economic growth.  And it is a growth rate which is within our reach.  Our objective is to sustain a growth rate of 9 to 10 percent per annum in the next three decades.  And in that process, the help of the United States is of enormous significance.

      We need a global trading system which does not encourage protectionism, which enables our entrepreneurs to make use of the enormous opportunities that processes of globalization now offer. We need the American assistance by way of export of capital.  We welcome American investments in our economy.

      I've mentioned also on several occasions, India needs an investment of a trillion dollars in the next five years in its infrastructure, and we would welcome American contribution in fulfilling that ambition of ours.

      America is a home of high technology.  We need that technology to upgrade our skills both in the civilian sector and also in the defense sector.  So I attach great importance to strengthening in every possible way India’s cooperation with the United States.  This is truly a relationship which can become a defining relationship for this 21st blessed century of ours.

      MR. GIBBS:  Christi Parsons with The Chicago Tribune.

      Q    Thank you very much.  This question is for you, President Obama, but if the Prime Minister chooses to weigh in on it, that would be lovely.

      Mr. President, the German Finance Minister says this of recent Fed decisions:  “It doesn’t add up when the Americans accuse the Chinese of currency manipulation and then, with the help of their central bank’s printing presses, artificially lower the value of the dollar.”  Might this, in fact, look hypocritical to other world leaders as you head to the G20 to talk about this and other issues?  How do you address it?  And do you expect support from the Indian government and your press to get the Chinese government to appreciate the value of the currency?

      Thank you.

      PRESIDENT OBAMA:  First of all, Christi, as you’re aware, the Federal Reserve is an independent body.  It doesn’t take orders from the White House, and it’s important as a policy matter, as an institutional matter, that we don’t comment on particular Fed actions.

      I will say that the Fed’s mandate, my mandate, is to grow our economy.  And that’s not just good for the United States, that’s good for the world as a whole.

      The United States has been an engine for growth, for trade, for opportunity for decades now. And we’ve just gone through an extraordinary economic trauma, which has resulted in some extraordinary measures.  And the worst thing that could happen to the world economy, not ours -- not just ours, but the entire world’s economy -- is if we end up being stuck with no growth or very limited growth.  And I think that’s the Fed’s concern, and that’s my concern as well.

      Now, when we go to the G20, we’re going to be talking about a whole host of issues, including how do we start creating balanced and sustainable growth.  And if you think about what’s happened at the G20 over the last couple of years, the first G20 I participated in was all about putting out a fire.  We had an immediate crisis in the financial sector that had to be dealt with.  And working with outstanding leaders like Prime Minister Singh, we were able to deal with it and that immediate crisis was contained.

      Subsequently, we’ve talked about how do we maintain growth, how do we start looking at fiscal consolidation and making sure that countries that may have overextended themselves for a long time start getting their houses in order.  But part of balanced growth is also a recognition that we can’t continue to sustain a situation in which some countries are maintaining massive surpluses, others massive deficits, and there never is the kind of adjustments with respect to currency that would lead to a more balanced growth pattern.

      Now, I should point out that India is -- has been part of the solution and not part of the problem.  As Prime Minister Singh mentioned, generally there’s a balanced growth pattern with respect to India.  We’ve got excellent trade ties with India.  India has been moving in a more liberal direction consistently under Prime Minister Singh’s leadership.  And India has been a very constructive partner with us in some of these international issues.  I expect that will continue.

      So I’m sure that we’ll have more commentary at the G20 when we get to Seoul.  Every country I think is concerned right now about what other countries are doing at a time when the recovery is still fragile.  But the bottom line is that every country that participates in the G20 will benefit if the United States’ economy is growing.

      PRIME MINISTER SINGH:  Ladies and gentlemen, I don’t claim to have any expert knowledge of the working of the American economy.  But I do know one thing:  that a strong, robust, fast-growing United States is in the interests of the world.  And therefore, anything that would stimulate the underlying growth and policies of entrepreneurship in the United States would help the cause of global prosperity.

      Q    Thank you.  This question is for President Obama, but, Mr. Prime Minister, I’d request you as well to answer it if that’s possible since you’re taking the other questions as well.

      But just taking forward I think what my colleague from the U.S. media just said, the American press has been full of headlines on this visit of yours, about the 50,000 jobs that have been created because of deals that have been struck around this visit.  Critics argue that unemployment rates in India are also very high.  So what does India get out of all these deals that have been struck and this visit?  And also, isn’t the outsourcing bogeyman a little misdirected, given that it’s become such a hot-button issue?  The job losses are really in the manufacturing sector and they’re going to China, which is the greater threat.

      THE PRESIDENT:  Well, first of all, I don't think you’ve heard me make outsourcing a bogeyman during the course of my visit.  In fact, I explicitly said in my address in Mumbai to the Business Council that I think both countries are operating on some stereotypes that have outlived their usefulness.

      In every discussion that I've had with Indian businesses, what I've seen is that our countries are matched up in a way that allows for enormous win-win potential.  So you mentioned that some of the deals that we have struck are ones that will create jobs in the United States.  That's absolutely true.  We're very proud of some of our high-tech industries and we think that we make some of the best products in the world, and we want to sell them to a growing Indian market.

      But it turns out that those same technologies are ones that will allow Indian entrepreneurs to grow and to thrive and create jobs right here in India.  And that's true at the large scale --if we're helping to build up Indian infrastructure, then that helps to knit the country together and get goods and products and services to market.

      It’s true of the small scale.  I mean, I had these amazing conversations down in Mumbai with Indian businesspeople who had taken American technology -- in one case, it was solar cells; in another case it was some of the equipment designed to be used for electric cars.  And they were using those technologies in new ways in India, using different business models that applied uniquely to India, to make profits and to do good here in India  -- and to create jobs here in India.

      So I think that the pattern that you’re going to see is that U.S. companies are creating jobs in the United States with technologies where we’ve got a lead.  Indian businesses are then going to take those technologies and apply them in India to grow Indian businesses as well.  And that’s going to be a win-win for both.  Those are the kinds of patterns that I think make this relationship so important.

      And when I go back home to the United States -- part of the reason that I advertise these 50,000 jobs is I want to be able to say to the American people when they ask me, well, why are you spending time with India, aren’t they taking our jobs? -- I want to be able to say, actually, you know what, they just created 50,000 jobs.  And that’s why we shouldn’t be resorting to protectionist measures; we shouldn’t be thinking that it’s just a one-way street.  I want both the citizens in the United States and citizens in India to understand the benefits of commercial ties between the two countries.

      PRIME MINISTER SINGH:  Well, as far as India is concerned, India is not in the business of stealing jobs from the United States of America.  Our outsourcing industry I believe has helped to improve the productive capacity and productivity of American industry.  And the new deals that have been struck, they all happen to be in infrastructure, and infrastructure today is the biggest bottleneck to the faster growth of India, to the faster growth of employment.  And therefore, these deals that the President has mentioned are truly an example of trade being a win-win situation for both our countries.

      In fact, I have a vision that when the G20 meets later in the month in Seoul, that the world needs a new balance between deficit countries and surplus countries, and that balance has to be restored by paying more attention to the development -- of the development potential, including infrastructure development and energy infrastructure agricultural infrastructure in the poorer countries of the world.

      That is the challenge before the global statesmanship.  And I do hope that the Group of 20, when it meets in Seoul, with the active guidance and support of President Obama, who in a way is the father of the Group of 20 -- it was his initiative which led to the creation of the Group of 20 -- this group will, I sincerely hope, grapple with this issue of rebalancing growth by laying emphasis on faster growth in the countries which are described normally as developing world.

      MODERATOR:  Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister.  Thank you, Mr. President.

      The press conference now draws to a close.  Thank you for your presence.  (Applause.)

                              END                 1:40 P.M. IST

Remarks by the President and the First Lady in Town Hall with Students in Mumbai, India

St. Xavier College
Mumbai, India

11:45 A.M. IST

     MRS. OBAMA:  Hello, everyone.  Namaste.  It is a pleasure and an honor to be here in India.  Everyone, please sit, who can sit.  Rest.  It’s warm.  We are thrilled to be here and to have a chance to spend time with so many outstanding young people from St. Xavier’s College and so many other schools across Mumbai. 

     Now, this is my first trip to India, but it is not my first exposure to India’s wonderful culture and people.  See, I grew up in Chicago, which is a city with one of the largest Indian-American communities in our country.  And of course, last year, as you know, we were proud to host Prime Minister Singh and Mrs. Kaur for our very first state visit and dinner.  It was a beautiful evening under a tent on the South Lawn of the White House, and we got to hear some pretty great Bhangra as well.  I danced there, too.  (Laughter.)   

     So I have really been looking forward to this trip for a very long time.  The time that we spend with young people during our travel is very special to both me and to the President.  When I was your age, I never dreamed of traveling to countries like this and meeting with young people like all of you.  In fact, there were a lot of things that I had never imagined for myself growing up, including having the honor of serving as my county’s First Lady. 

     My family didn’t have a lot of money.  My parents never went to college.  I grew up in a little bitty apartment in a working-class neighborhood on the south side of Chicago.  My parents worked hard to pay the bills and to keep a roof over our heads.  But even though my parents couldn't give us material things, they gave us something much more precious -- they gave me and my brother strong values.  They taught us to treat others with dignity and respect.  They taught us to push for excellence in every single thing we did.  They taught us to be humble and to be grateful for everything we had.  They taught us to put every last bit of effort into our education and to take pride in our work.  They taught us that our circumstances didn’t define us, and that if we believed in ourselves, if we made the most of every single opportunity, we could build our own destinies and accomplish anything we put our minds to.

     And I try every single day to take those lessons to heart.  And the fact that all of you are here today tells me that we all share these same values, that we all learn these same lessons.  You're here today because, like me and my husband, you believe in your dreams and you're working hard every single day to fulfill them.  More importantly, you’re here because you’ve committed to something greater than yourselves.  You're here not just because of your academic and extracurricular activities and achievements, but because of what you’ve done to give back to your schools and to your communities. 

     Your willingness to serve is critical for all that lies ahead once you finish your education.  Because the truth is pretty soon the responsibilities for building our future will fall to all of you.  Soon we're going to be looking to your generation to make the discoveries and build the industries that will shape our world for decades to come. 

     We'll be looking to you to protect our planet.  We're going to be looking to you to lift up our most vulnerable citizens.  We're going to be looking to you to heal the divisions that too often keep us apart.  And I believe that you and your peers around the world are more than up to the challenge, because I've seen it firsthand right here in India.

     Just yesterday I had the wonderful opportunity to visit an organization called Make A Difference.  It’s an amazing program designed and run by young adults who recruit other young people, outstanding college students like themselves, to mentor and teach children who, as the founder said, haven’t had the same chances in life as many of the mentors have had. 

     These young volunteers understand and believe in something very simple, that all children, regardless of their circumstances, deserve the same chance to get educated and to build productive and successful lives.  And I know that many of you here today are doing equally important work in your communities and your schools -- everything from holding camps for kids in need to teaching computer literacy skills, to finding new ways to conserve energy.

     And let me tell you, this work is amazing, and it is vitally important.  And that is why, as First Lady, I have tried my best to engage young people not just in the United States but around the world, letting them know that we believe in them, but more importantly, that we need them.  We need you.  We need you to help solve the great challenges of our time.

     And that's also why when my husband travels abroad, he doesn’t just meet with heads of state in parliaments and in palaces.  He always meets with young people like all of you.  That's why he’s been working to expand educational exchanges and partnerships between the United States, India, and countries around the world. 

Right now, more Indian students like you come to study in the United States than from any other country.  And I'm proud to see that so many American students are doing the same thing right here in India, building the types of friendships and relationships that will last a lifetime.  Our hope is to provide more Indian and American young people with these types of opportunities to continue to connect and share ideas and experiences.

And finally, my husband is also working to encourage young entrepreneurs everywhere to start businesses, to improve the health of our communities and to empower our young women and girls because it is never too late or too early to start changing this world for the better.

     So I want to end today by congratulating you all -- congratulating you on everything you do.  We are so proud of you. I want to encourage you to keep dreams -- keep dreaming big huge, gigantic dreams -- not just for yourselves, but for your communities and for our world.

     And finally, I want to urge you today to ask my husband some tough questions, all right?  (Laughter.)  Be tough.  He loves doing events like this.  This brightens his days.  But you got to keep him on his toes, all right? 

So if you promise me that, without further ado, I would like to introduce my husband, the President of the United States, Barack Obama.  (Applause.)

     THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, everybody.  Thank you so much.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you very much.  Everybody, please have a seat.  Have a seat.  Namaste.

     AUDIENCE:  Namaste.

     THE PRESIDENT:  It is such a pleasure to be here.  Now, I have to say, first of all, I don't like speaking after Michelle. (Laughter.)  Because she’s very good.  Also because she teases me.  You notice how she said for you to all ask tough questions. If you want to ask easy questions, that's fine.  (Laughter.)

     But on behalf of Michelle and me I want to thank St. Xavier’s University.  I want to thank Rector DeSouza.  I want to thank Principal -- I want to get this right -- Mascarenhas.  (Laughter.)  But it’s a little smoother than that, when you say it.  I want to thank Vice Principal Amonka and all of you for being such gracious hosts.

     And I know it’s hot out here today.  For you to be so patient with me, I’m very grateful to you.  I also want to thank the city of Mumbai and the people of India for giving us such an extraordinary welcome.

     In a few minutes, I’ll take some questions.  I come here not just to speak, but also to listen.  I want to have a dialogue with you.  And this is one of the wonderful things that I have a chance to do as President of the United States.  When I travel, we always try to set up a town hall meeting where we can interact with the next generation, because I want to hear from you.  I want to find out what your dreams are, what your fears are, what your plans are for your country. 

     But if you will indulge me, I also want to say a few words about why I’m so hopeful about the partnership between our two countries and why I wanted to spend some of my time here in India speaking directly to young people like yourselves.

     Now, as Michelle said, we have both looked forward to this visit to India for quite some time.  We have an extraordinary amount of respect for the rich and diverse civilization that has thrived here for thousands of years.  We’ve drawn strength from India’s 20th century independence struggle, which helped inspire America’s own civil rights movement.  We’ve marveled at India’s growing economy and it’s dynamic democracy.  And we have personally enjoyed a wonderful friendship with Prime Minister Singh and Mrs. Kaur, over the last two years.

     But of course, I’m not just here to visit.  I’m here because the partnership between India and the United States I believe has limitless potential to improve the lives of both Americans and Indians, just as it has the potential to be an anchor of security and prosperity and progress for Asia and for the world.

     The U.S.-India relationship will be indispensible in shaping the 21st century.  And the reason why is simple:  As two great powers and as the world’s two largest democracies, the United States and India share common interests and common values -- values of self-determination and equality; values of tolerance and a belief in the dignity of every human being. 

     Already on this trip, I’ve seen those shared interests and values firsthand.  We share a commitment to see that the future belongs to hope, and not fear.  And I was honored to stay at the Taj Hotel, the site of the 26/11 attacks, and yesterday, in meetings with some of the survivors, I saw firsthand the resilience of the Indian people in overcoming tragedy, just as I reaffirmed our close cooperation in combating terrorism and violent extremism in all of its forms.

     We also share struggles for justice and equality.  I was humbled to visit Mani Bhavan, where Gandhi helped move India and the world through the strength and dignity of his leadership. 

We share a commitment to see that this era after globalization leads to greater opportunity for all our people.  And so yesterday, at a summit of business leaders and entrepreneurs, we discussed the potential for greater economic cooperation between our two countries -- cooperation that could create jobs and opportunity through increased trade and investment, unleashing the potential of individuals in both our countries.  And even as we are countries that look to the future with optimism, Americans and Indians draw strength from tradition and from faith. 

     This morning, Michelle and I enjoyed the chance to join young people here in Mumbai to celebrate Diwali -- a holiday that is observed not just here in India but also in the United States, where millions of Indian-Americans have enriched our country.  I have to point out, by the way, those of you who had a chance to see Michelle dance, she was moving.  (Laughter.)  And it was just an extraordinary gift for these young people to perform and share this wonderful tradition with us.

     Tomorrow in New Delhi, I’ll have the opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Singh and many other leaders, and I’ll have the privilege to address your parliament.  And there I will discuss in greater detail our efforts to broaden and deepen our cooperation and make some specific announcements on important issues like counterterrorism and regional security, on clean energy and climate change, and on the advance of economic growth and development and democracy around the globe.

     Just as the sites I’ve seen and the people I’ve met here in Mumbai speak to our common humanity, the common thread that runs through the different issues that our countries cooperate on is my determination to take the partnership between our two countries to an entirely new level.  Because the United States does not just believe, as some people say, that India is a rising power; we believe that India has already risen.  India is taking its rightful place in Asia and on the global stage.  And we see India’s emergence as good for the United States and good for the world.

     But India’s future won’t simply be determined by powerful CEOs and political leaders -- just as I know that the ties among our people aren’t limited to contacts between our corporations and our governments.  And that’s why I wanted to speak to all of you today, because India’s future will be determined by you and by young people like you across this country.  You are the future leaders.  You are the future innovators and the future educators. You’re the future entrepreneurs and the future elected officials.

     In this country of more than a billion people, more than half of all Indians are under 30 years old.  That’s an extraordinary statistic and it’s one that speaks to a great sense of possibility -- because in a democracy like India’s -- or America’s -- every single child holds within them the promise of greatness.  And every child should have the opportunity to achieve that greatness.

Most of you are probably close to 20 years old.  Just think how the world has changed in those 20 years.  India’s economy has grown at a breathtaking rate.  Living standards have improved for hundreds of millions of people.  Your democracy has weathered assassination and terrorism.  And meanwhile, around the globe, the Cold War is a distant memory and a new order has emerged, one that’s reflected in the 20 members of the G20 that will come together in Seoul next week, as countries like India assume a greater role on the world stage.

     So now the future of this country is in your hands.  And before I take your questions, I want you to consider three questions I have for you -- questions about what the next 20 years will bring.  First, what do you want India to look like in 20 years?  Nobody else can answer this question but you.  It’s your destiny to write.  One of the great blessings of living in a democracy is that you can always improve the democracy.  As our Founding Fathers wrote in the United States, you can always forge a more perfect union. 

     But if you look at India’s last 20 years, it’s hard not to see the future with optimism.  You have the chance to lift another several hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, grow even more this enormous middle class that can fuel growth in this country and beyond.  You have the chance to take on greater responsibilities on the global stage while playing a leading role in this hugely important part of the world.

     And together with the United States, you can also seize the opportunities afforded by our times:  the clean energy technologies that can power our lives and save our planet; the chance to reach new frontiers in outer space; the research and development that can lead to new industry and a higher standard of living; the prospect of advancing the cause of peace and pluralism in our own countries but also beyond our borders.

     Which brings me to a second question.  Twenty years from now, what kind of partnership do you want to have with America?  Just before I came to speak to all of you today, I visited two expos right in another courtyard here that underscore the kind of progress we can make together.  The first focused on agriculture and food security, and I was able to see innovations in technology and research, which are transforming Indian farming.

     A farmer showed me how he can receive crop information on his cell phone.  Another showed me how tools appropriately sized and weighted for women are helping her and other female farmers increase their productivity.  Many of these innovations are the result of public and private collaborations between the United States and India, the same collaboration that helped produce the first Green Revolution in the 1960s.

     And tomorrow, I will be discussing with Prime Minister Singh how we can advance the cooperation in the 21st century -- not only to benefit India, not only to benefit the United States, but to benefit the world.  India can become a model for countries around the world that are striving for food security.

     The second expo I toured focused on the ways that innovation is empowering Indian citizens to ensure that democracy delivers for them.  So I heard directly from citizens in a village hundreds of miles away, through e-panchayat.  I saw new technologies and approaches that allow citizens to get information, or to fight corruption, monitor elections, find out whether their elected official is actually going to work, holding government accountable.

     And while these innovations are uniquely India’s, their lessons can be applied around the world.  So earlier this year, at the U.N., I called for a new focus on open societies that support open government and highlighted their potential to strengthen the foundation of freedoms in our own countries, while living up to the ideals that can light the world.  And that's what India is starting do with some of this innovation. 

We must remember that in some places the future of democracy is still very much in question.  Just to give you an example, there are elections that are being held right now in Burma that will be anything but free and fair based on every report that we’re seeing.  And for too long the people of Burma have been denied the right to determine their own destiny. 

     So even as we do not impose any system of government on other countries, we, especially young people, must always speak out for those human rights that are universal, and the right of people everywhere to make their own decisions about how to shape their future, which will bring me to my final question, and then you guys can start sending questions my way.

     How do you -- how do each of you want to make the world a better place?  Keep in mind that this is your world to build, your century to shape.  And you’ve got a powerful example of those who went before you.  Just as America had the words and deeds of our Founding Fathers to help chart a course towards freedom and justice and opportunity, India has this incredible history to draw on, millennia of civilization, the examples of leaders like Gandhi and Nehru. 

     As I stood in Mani Bhavan, I was reminded that Martin Luther King made his own pilgrimage to that site over 50 years ago.  In fact, we saw the book that he had signed.  After he returned home, King said that he was struck by how Gandhi embodied in his life certain universal principles that are inherent in the moral structure of the universe, and these principles are as inescapable as the law of gravitation.

     You have that power within you.  You, too, must embody those principles.  For even within this time of great progress, there are great imperfections, the injustice of oppression, the grinding punishment of poverty, the scourge of violent extremism and war.  King and Gandhi made it possible for all of us to be here today -- me as a President, you as a citizen of a country that's made remarkable progress.  Now you have the opportunity and the responsibility to also make this plant a better place. 
And as you do, you’ll have the friendship and partnership of the United States, because we are interested in advancing those same universal principles that are as inescapable as the law of gravitation. 

The lives that you lead will determine whether that opportunity is extended to more of the world’s people -- so that a child who yearns for a better life in rural India or a family that's fled from violence in Africa, or a dissident who sits in a Burmese prison, or a community that longs for peace in war-torn Afghanistan -- whether they are able to achieve their dreams.

     And sometimes the challenges may be incredibly hard, and in the face of darkness, we may get discouraged.  But we can always draw on the light of those who came before us.  I hope you keep that light burning within you, because together the United States and India can shape a century in which our own citizens and the people of the world can claim the hope of a better life.

     So thank you very much for your patience.  And now you can take Michelle’s advice and ask me some tough questions.  Thank you very much.  (Applause.) 

     So we have I think people in the audience with microphones, and so when they come up, if you could introduce yourself -- love to know who you are.  And we'll start with that young lady right over there. 

     Q    Hi, good day, sir.  Hi, my name is Anna and I’m from St. Davis College.  My question to you is, what is your take on opinion about jihad, or jihadi?  Whatever is your opinion, what do you think of them?

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, the phrase jihad has a lot of meanings within Islam and is subject to a lot of different interpretations.  But I will say that, first, Islam is one of the world’s great religions.  And more than a billion people who practice Islam, the overwhelming majority view their obligations to their religion as ones that reaffirm peace and justice and fairness and tolerance.  I think all of us recognize that this great religion in the hands of a few extremists has been distorted to justify violence towards innocent people that is never justified.

     And so I think one of the challenges that we face is how do we isolate those who have these distorted notions of religious war and reaffirm those who see faiths of all sorts -- whether you are a Hindu or a Muslim or a Christian or a Jew or any other religion, or your don't practice a religion -- that we can all treat each other with respect and mutual dignity, and that some of the universal principles that Gandhi referred to -- that those are what we’re living up to, as we live in a nation or nations that have very diverse religious beliefs. 

     And that's a major challenge.  It’s a major here in India, but it’s a challenge obviously around the world.  And young people like yourselves can make a huge impact in reaffirming that you can be a stronger observer of your faith without putting somebody else down or visiting violence on somebody else.

     I think a lot of these ideas form very early.  And how you respond to each other is going to be probably as important as any speech that a President makes in encouraging the kinds of religious tolerance that I think is so necessary in a world that's getting smaller and smaller, where more and more people of different backgrounds, different races, different ethnicities are interacting and working and learning from each other. 

     And those circumstances -- I think all of us have to fundamentally reject the notion that violence is a way to mediate our differences.   

     All right.  Yes, I may not get to every question.  I’ll call on this young man right here.  Right there, yes.

     Q    Good morning, sir.  My name is Jehan (phonetic).  I’m from H.R. College.  So my question is more about spirituality and moral values.  We see today in today’s world, there more of a materialistic frame of thought when it comes to generations -- budding generations.  So what do you believe is a possible methodology which governments, rather yours or any other governments in the world, they can adopt to basically incorporate the human core values, the moral values of selflessness, brotherhood, over the materialistic frame of thought which people work by today?

     THE PRESIDENT:  It’s a terrific question and I’m glad you’re asking it.  India is making enormous progress in part because, like America, it has this incredible entrepreneurial talent, entrepreneurial spirit.  And I think we should not underestimate how liberating economic growth can be for a country. 

     In the United States, I used to work with a lot of churches when I was still a community organizer, before I went to law school.  And one of the common phrases among the pastors there was, it’s hard to preach to an empty stomach.  It’s hard to preach to an empty stomach.  If people have severe, immediate material needs -- shelter, food, clothing -- then that is their focus.  And economic growth and development that is self-sustaining can liberate people, allow them -- it forms the basis for folks to get an education and to expand their horizons.  And that's all for the good.

     So I don't want any person here to be dismissive of a healthy materialism because in a country like India, there’s still a lot of people trapped in poverty.  And you should be working to try to lift folks out of poverty, and companies and businesses have a huge role in making that happen.
    
     Now, having said that, if all you’re thinking about is material wealth, then I think that shows a poverty of ambition.  When I was visiting Gandhi’s room, here in Mumbai, it was very telling that the only objects in the room were a mat and a spinning wheel and some sandals and a few papers.  And this is a man who changed history like probably no one else in the 20th century in terms of the number of lives that he affected.  And he had nothing, except an indomitable spirit.
    
So everyone has a role to play.  And those of you who are planning to go into business, I think it’s wonderful that you’re going into business and you should pursue it with all your focus and energy.  Those of you, though, who are more inclined to teach or more inclined to public service, you should also feel encouraged that you are playing just as critical a role.  And whatever occupation you choose, giving back to the community and making sure that you’re reaching back to help people, lift up people who may have been left behind, that’s a solemn obligation. 
And by the way, it’s actually good for you.  It’s good for your spirit.  It’s good for your own moral development.  It will make you a happier person, knowing that you’ve given back and you’ve contributed something.

     Last point I would make -- I think this is another thing that India and the United States share, is there’s a healthy skepticism about public servants, particularly electoral politics.  In the United States, people generally have -- hold politicians in fairly low esteem -- sometimes for good reason, but some of it is just because the view is that somehow government can’t do anything right.  And here in India, one of the big impediments to development is the fact that in some cases the private sector is moving much faster than the public sector is moving.

     And I would just suggest that I hope some of you decide to go ahead and get involved in public service -- which can be frustrating.  It can be, at times, slow -- you don’t see progress as quickly as you’d like.  But India is going to need you not just as businessmen but also as leaders who are helping to reduce bureaucracy and make government more responsive and deliver services more efficiently.  That’s going to be just as important in the years to come.  Because otherwise you’re going to get a imbalance where some are doing very well but broad-based economic growth is not moving as quickly as it could.

     Excellent question. 

I’m going to go boy-girl-boy-girl, or girl-boy-girl-boy, just to make sure it’s fair.  Let’s see.  This young lady right there -- yes.

     Q    Hello.  I actually wanted to ask you -- you mention Mahatma Gandhi a lot usually in your speeches.  So I was just wondering how exactly do you implement his principles and his values in your day-to-day life, and how do you expect the people in the U.S. to live in those values?  Thank you.

     THE PRESIDENT:  Well, it’s a terrific question.  Let me say, first of all, that he, like Dr. King, like Abraham Lincoln, are people who I’m constantly reading and studying, and I find myself falling woefully short of their example all the time.  So I’m often frustrated by how far I fall short of their example.

     But I do think that at my best, what I’m trying to do is to apply principles that fundamentally come down to something shared in all the world’s religions, which is to see yourself in other people; to understand the inherent worth and dignity of every individual, regardless of station, regardless of rank, regardless of wealth, and to absolutely value and cherish and respect that individual; and then hopefully, try to take that principle of  treating others as you would want to be treated and find ways where that can apply itself in communities and in cities and in states and ultimately in a country and in the world.

     As I said, I often find myself falling short of that ideal. But I tend to judge any particular policy based on, is this advancing that spirit; that it’s helping individuals realize their potential; that it’s making sure that all children are getting an education -- so that I’m not just worrying about my children; that I’m thinking, first and foremost, about the United States of America, because that’s my responsibility as President, but I’m also recognizing that we are in an interrelationship with other countries in the world and I can’t ignore an abuse of human rights in another country.  I can’t ignore hardships that may be suffering -- that may be suffered by somebody of a different nationality.

     That I think more than anything is what I carry with me on a day-to-day basis.  But it’s not always apparent that I’m making progress on that front. 

One of the other things I draw from all great men and women, like a Gandhi, though, is that on this journey you’re going to experience setbacks and you have to be persistent and stubborn, and you just have to keep on going at it.  And you’ll never roll the boulder all the way up the hill but you may get it part of the way up.

     This gentleman in the blue shirt.  Do we have a microphone?  Oh, here we go.  Thanks.

     Q    Good afternoon, Mr. President.

     THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon.

     Q    It’s an honor to question you.  What my question would be is, when you were being elected as President, one of the words you used a lot was “change.”  After your midterm election, the midterm -- it seems that the American people have asked for a change.  The change that you will make, how exactly is it going to affect young India, people from my generation?

     THE PRESIDENT:  That’s an interesting question.

     Q    Thank you.

     THE PRESIDENT:  The United States has gone through probably the toughest two years economically as we’ve gone through since the 1930s.  I mean, this was a profound financial crisis and economic shock, and it spilled over to most of the world.  India weathered it better than many countries.  But most of the work that I did with Prime Minister Singh in the first two years in the G20, we were focused on making sure that the world’s financial system didn’t collapse.
    
     And although we’ve now stabilized the economy, unemployment in the United States is very high now relative to what it typically has been over the last several decades.  And so people are frustrated.  And although we’re making progress, we’re not making progress quickly enough.

     And one of the wonderful things about democracy is that when the people are not happy, it is their right, obligation, and duty to express their unhappiness, much to the regret sometimes of incumbents.  But that’s a good thing.  That’s a healthy thing.

     And my obligation is to make sure that I stick to the principles and beliefs and ideas that will move America forward  -- because I profoundly believe that we have to invest in education, that that will be the primary driver of growth in the future; that we’ve got to invest in a strong infrastructure; that we have to make sure that we are taking advantage of opportunities like clean energy.

     But it also requires me to make some midcourse corrections and adjustments.  And how those play themselves out over the next several months will be a matter of me being in discussions with the Republican Party, which is now going to be controlling the House of Representatives.  And there are going to be areas where we disagree and hopefully there are going to be some areas where we agree.

     Now, you asked specifically, how do I think it will affect policy towards India.  I actually think that the United States has a enormous fondness for India, partly because there are so many Indian-Americans and because of the shared values that we have.  And so there is a strong bipartisan belief that India is going to be a critical partner with the United States in the 21st century.  That was true when George Bush was President.  That was true when Bill Clinton was President.  It was true under Democratic and Republican control of Congress.

     So I don’t think that fundamental belief is going to be altered in any significant way.  I do think that one of the challenges that we’re going to be facing in the United States is at a time when we’re still recovering from this crisis, how do we respond to some of the challenges of globalization?  Because the fact of the matter is, is that for most of my lifetime -- I’ll turn 50 next year -- for most of my lifetime, the United States was such a dominant economic power, we were such a large market, our industry, our technology, our manufacturing was so significant that we always met the rest of the world economically on our terms.  And now, because of the incredible rise of India and China and Brazil and other countries, the United States remains the largest economic and the largest market but there’s real competition out there. 

     And that's potentially healthy.  It makes -- Michelle was saying earlier I like tough questions because it keeps me on my toes.  Well, this will keep America on its toes.  And I'm positive we can compete because we've got the most open, most dynamic entrepreneurial culture; we've got some of the finest universities in the world; incredible research and technology.  But it means that we're going to have to compete. 

And I think that there’s going to be a tug of war within the United States between those who see globalization as a threat and want to retrench, and those who accept that we live in a open, integrated world which has challenges and opportunities and we've got to manage those challenges and manage those opportunities, but we shouldn’t be afraid of them.

     And so what that means, for example, is on issues of trade, part of the reason I'm traveling through Asia this week is I believe that the United States will grow and prosper if we are trading with Asia.  It’s the fastest-growing region in the world. We want access to your markets.  We think we've got good products to sell; you think that you’ve got good products to sell us.  This can be a win-win situation.

     So I want to make sure that we're here because this will create jobs in the United States and it can create jobs in India. But that means that we've got to negotiate this changing relationship.  Back in the 1960s or ‘70s, the truth is the American economy could be open even if our trading partners’ economies weren’t open.  So if India was protecting certain sectors of its economy, it didn’t really have such a big effect on us.  We didn’t need necessarily reciprocity because our economy was so much larger.

     Well, now, things have changed.  So it’s not unfair for the United States to say, look, if our economy is open to everybody, countries that trade with us have to change their practices to open up their markets to us.  There has to be reciprocity in our trading relationship.  And if we can have those kinds of conversations, fruitful, constructive conversations about how we produce win-win situations, then I think we'll be fine.

     If the American people feel that trade is just a one-way street, where everybody is selling to the enormous U.S. market but we can never sell what we make anywhere else, then people in the United States will start thinking, well, this is a bad deal for us.  And that could end up leading to a more protectionist instinct in both parties -- not just among Democrats, but also among Republicans.  So that's what we have to guard against.

     All right, it’s a young lady’s turn.  This young lady with the glasses -- yes.

     Q    A very warm welcome to you to India, sir.  ]

     THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you so much.

     Q    I'm from H.R. College of Commerce and Economics.  We were the privileged college to host Mr. Otis Moss this January. Sir, my question to you is why is Pakistan so important an ally to America, so far as America has never called it a terrorist state?

     THE PRESIDENT:  Well -- no, no, it’s a good question.  And I must admit I was expecting it.  (Laughter.)  Pakistan is an enormous country.  It is a strategically important country not just for the United States but for the world.  It is a country whose people have enormous potential, but it is also, right now, a country that within it has some of the extremist elements that we discussed in the first question.  That's not unique to Pakistan, but obviously it exists in Pakistan.

     The Pakistani government is very aware of that.  And what we have tried to do over the last several years, certainly -- I'll just speak to my foreign policy -- has been to engage aggressively with the Pakistani government to communicate that we want nothing more than a stable, prosperous, peaceful Pakistan, and that we will work with the Pakistani government in order to eradicate this extremism that we consider a cancer within the country that can potentially engulf the country.

     And I will tell you that I think the Pakistani government understands now the potential threat that exists within their own borders.  There are more Pakistanis who’ve been killed by terrorists inside Pakistan than probably anywhere else. 

     Now, progress is not as quick as we’d like, partly because when you get into, for example, some of the Northwest Territories, these are very -- this is very difficult terrain, very entrenched.  The Pakistani army has actually shifted some of its emphasis and focus into those areas.  But that's not originally what their armed forces were designed to do, and so they’re having to adapt and adjust to these new dangers and these new realities. 

     I think there is a growing recognition -- but it’s something that doesn’t happen overnight -- of what a profound problem this is.  And so our feeling has been to be honest and forthright with Pakistan, to say we are your friend, this is a problem and we will help you, but the problem has to be addressed.

     Now, let me just make this point, because obviously the history between India and Pakistan is incredibly complex and was born of much tragedy and much violence.  And so it may be surprising to some of you to hear me say this, but I am absolutely convinced that the country that has the biggest stake in Pakistan’s success is India.  I think that if Pakistan is unstable, that's bad for India.  If Pakistan is stable and prosperous, that's good. 

     Because India is on the move.  And it is absolutely in your interests, at a time when you're starting to succeed in incredible ways on the global economic stage, that you [don’t]  want the distraction of security instability in your region.  So my hope is, is that over time trust develops between the two countries, that dialogue begins -- perhaps on less controversial issues, building up to more controversial issues -- and that over time there’s a recognition that India and Pakistan can live side by side in peace and that both countries can prosper. 

     That will not happen tomorrow.  But I think that needs to be our ultimate goal.

     And by the way, the United States stands to be a friend and a partner in that process, but we can't impose that on India and Pakistan.  Ultimately, India and Pakistan have to arrive at their own understandings in terms of how the relationship evolves.

     Okay.  I've got time for one more question.  It’s a guy’s turn.  This young man right here, in the striped shirt.

     Q    Good afternoon, Mr. President.  It’s an absolute honor to hear you, and I must say this, that one day I hope I be half as good as a leader as you are today.

     THE PRESIDENT:  Well, you're very kind.  Thank you. 

     Q    Mr. President, my question relates to your Afghanistan policy.  In light of your statements that the troop withdrawal would start in 2011, there have been recent developments that would indicate that USA has been in talks with Taliban so as to strike out a stable government in Afghanistan as when you withdraw.  Now, does this point to the acceptance of the inevitability of the U.S. to fulfill the vision which they had, with which they invaded Afghanistan in 2001?  Does it point out to their inability to take a military control of all the southern regions so that we can install a stable government?  You notice that in Iraq where there’s a lot of instability now.  So does it point to a sort of tacit acceptance of U.S. inability to create harmony in Afghanistan? 

     THE PRESIDENT:  First of all, I want to just unpack some of the assumptions inside the question because they were broadly based in fact, but I want to be very precise here.

     I have said that starting in the summer of next year, July 2011, we will begin drawing down our troop levels, but we will not be removing all our troops.  Keep in mind that we ramped up significantly because the idea was that for seven years we had just been in a holding pattern; we’d had just enough troops to keep Kabul intact but the rest of the countryside was deteriorating in fairly significant ways.  There wasn’t a real strategy.  And my attitude was, I don't want to, seven years from now, or eight years from now, be in the exact same situation.  That's not a sustainable equilibrium.

     So I said, let’s put more troops in to see if we can create more space and stability and time for Afghan security forces to develop, and then let’s begin drawing down our troops as we’re able to stand up Afghan security forces.

     Now, in fact, it turns out that in Iraq -- you mentioned Iraq as a parallel -- in Iraq, we have been relatively successful in doing that.  The government is taking way too long to get formed, and that is a source of frustration to us and I’m sure to the Iraq people.  Having said that, though, if you think about it, it’s been seven months since the election, and violence levels are actually lower in Iraq than they’ve been just about any time since the war started -- at a time when we pulled back our forces significantly.  So it shows that it is possible to train effective, indigenous security forces so that they can provide their own security.  And hopefully politics then resolves differences, as opposed to violence.

     Now, Afghan, I think is actually more complicated, more difficult, probably because it’s a much poorer country.  It does not have as strong a tradition of a central government.  Civil service is very underdeveloped.  And so I think that the pace at which we’re drawing down is going to be determined in part by military issues, but it’s also going to be determined by politics.  And that is, is it possible for a sizeable portion of the Pashtun population in Afghanistan that may be teetering back and forth between Taliban or a central government, is it possible for them to feel that their ethnicity, their culture, their numerical position in the country is adequately represented, and can they do that within the context of a broader constitutional Afghan government.

     And I think that's a worthy conversation to have.  So what we’ve said to President Karzai -- because this is being initiated by him -- what we’ve said is if former Taliban members or current Taliban members say that they are willing to disassociate themselves with al Qaeda, renounce violence as a means of achieving their political aims, and are willing to respect the Afghan constitution so that, for example, women are treated with all the right that men are afforded, then, absolutely, we support the idea of a political resolution of some of these differences.

     Now, there are going to be some elements that are affiliated to the Taliban that are also affiliated with al Qaeda or LT or these other organizations, these extremists that are irreconcilable.  They will be there.  And there will need to be a military response to those who would perpetrate the kind of violence that we saw here in Mumbai in a significant ongoing way -- or the kind that we saw on 9/11 in New York City.

     But I think a stable Afghanistan is achievable.  Will it look exactly as I might design a democracy?  Probably not.  It will take on an Afghan character. 

I do think that there are lessons that India has to show not just countries like Afghanistan but countries in sub-Saharan Africa.  I mean, some of the incredible work that I saw being done in the agricultural sector is applicable to widely dispersed rural areas in a place like Afghanistan and could -- I promise you, if we can increase farmers’ yields in Afghanistan by 20 percent or 25 percent, and they can get their crops to market, and they’re cutting out a middleman and they’re ending up seeing a better standard of life for themselves, that goes a long way in encouraging them to affiliate with a modern world.

     And so India’s investment in development in Afghanistan is appreciated.  Pakistan has to be a partner in this process.  In fact, all countries in the region are going to be partners in this process.  And the United States welcomes that.  We don’t think we can do this alone.

     But part of our -- and this is probably a good way to end -- part of my strong belief is that around the world, your generation is poised to solve some of my generation’s mistakes and my parents’ generation’s mistakes.  You’ll make your own mistakes, but there’s such incredible potential and promise for you to start pointing in new directions in terms of how economies are organized, in terms of how moral precepts and values and principles are applied, in how nations work together to police each other so that they’re not -- so that when there’s genocide or there is ethnic cleansing, or there are gross violations of human rights, that an international community joins together and speaks with one voice; so that economic integration isn’t a source of fear or anxiety, but rather is seen as enormous promise and potential; where we’re able to tackle problems that we can’t solve by ourselves.

     I went to a lower school -- do you call them high schools here?  It’s sort of a high school.  And Michelle and I saw this wonderful exhibit of global warming and the concerns that these young people have -- they were 14, 15.  And their energy and their enthusiasm was infectious.  And I asked them, which one of you are going to be scientists who are going to try to solve this problem?  And all of them raised their hands.  And I said, well, this is hugely important for India.  And they said, no, not for India -- for the world. 

You see, their ambitions were not just to be great scientists for India.  Their ambition was to be a great scientist for the world -- because they understood that something like climate change or clean energy, that’s not an American problem or an Indian problem -- that’s a human problem.  And all of us are going to have to be involved in finding solutions to it.

     And as I listen to all of you, with your wonderful questions, I am incredibly optimistic and encouraged that you will help find those solutions in the years to come.

     So, thank you very much for your hospitality.  Thank you, everybody.  (Applause.) 

                             END           12:45 P.M. IST
 

Remarks by the President at Open Government and Technology Exposition

St. Xavier College, Mumbai, India

11:15 A.M. IST
 
     THE PRESIDENT:  Well, here’s the good news, is that in the United States we are trying to do some of the same things that you’re doing -- trying to make government more transparent, trying to make government more accountable, trying to make government more efficient.  And one of the incredible benefits of the technology we’re seeing right here is that in many ways India may be in a position to leapfrog some of the intermediate stages of government service delivery, avoiding some of the 20th century mechanisms for delivering services and going straight to the 21st.
 
     But many of the issues that you’re talking about here are ones that we’re trying to apply in the United States, as well.  For example, in many rural areas in the United States, it’s hard sometimes to get to a hospital.  Even though the infrastructure may be better developed, there’s still significant distances.  And to the extent that we can use technology to provide people with basic health information, in some cases simple diagnoses, that can save people time, it can save the government money, and we can end up with better health outcomes.  And obviously the same applies for all the services you mentioned.
 
     So I want to congratulate all of you for doing the terrific work.  And I look forward to watching this terrific experiment in democracy continue to expand all throughout India, and you’ll be a model for countries around the world.
 
                             END           11:17 A.M. IST

Remarks by the First Lady during visit with students from "Make a Difference" program

University of Mumbai, Mumbai, India

5:36 P.M. IST

      MRS. OBAMA:  I love dancing.  Oh, that was fun!  (Applause.)  We should do that again.  (Applause.)  Okay, we’ll do that before we leave.

      I just want to thank you all.  Thank you.  And I want to thank all of your teachers and mentors.  Do you know how lucky you are, just lucky and blessed, because if you keep working hard, education is all that you need to be whatever you want to be.  That's it.

      I didn’t grow up with a lot of money.  I mean, my parents -- I had two parents.  I was lucky to have two parents, and they always had a job, but we didn’t have a lot of money.  But it was because of working hard, and studying, and learning how to write and read, and then I got a chance to go to college, and then college opened up the world to me, I started seeing all these things that I could be or do, and I never even imagined being the First Lady of the United States.  But because I had an education, when the time came to do this, I was ready.

      So just remember there is nothing that you guys can’t do.  You know, you have everything it takes to be successful and smart and to raise a family, right?

      What do you say?  You’ve got something to say.  (Laughter.)

      That's all you need.  And you’ve got a great start because you’ve got all -- there are so many young people like your teachers who care about you guys.  And there are many programs like -- just like this one in the United States where young -- I call these young people -- to you they seem old, but to me they’re young -- but they’re helping kids all across the country.  And we should give -- let’s give a hand, a clap, for your -- all of your teachers and mentors and all the volunteers who help.  (Applause.)

      So I don't know if you feel comfortable -- you have to sort of ignore those people there.  Pretend like they’re not here.  Do you guys want to ask any questions?  Is there anything that you want to know?  Even -- don't worry about it being the -- saying it the right way.  If there's something that you want to know, or did you want to talk about, that I can tell you -- anybody?

      Yes.

      Q     I feel like my dream come true.

      MRS. OBAMA:  You feel like your dream has come true?

      Q     Yes.

      MRS. OBAMA:  Why, because of me?

      Q     Yes!

      MRS. OBAMA:  No!

      Q     Yes!

      MRS. OBAMA:  No, you are my dream come true.

      Q     This is a dream for me -- (laughter.)

      MRS. OBAMA:  Well, we are very proud of you all.  We’re very proud, you know?  When me and the President get a little tired because our work gets hard sometimes, it’s because -- it’s when we get to spend time with you all that we go, yeah, this is what it’s all about.  This is why we do what we do, because we’re trying to make this whole world better so that kids like you have the opportunities, the same opportunities, as every other kid, right?  That's what we’re working for.

      So we’re very proud of you.  We’re proud of the amount of energy that you put into learning, the excitement that you put into dancing, and to learning how to spell, and to learning how to speak English.  You guys are going to do great.  You’re going to do just great.  All right?

      So thank you.  Thanks for letting me spend time with you.

      Anybody else have anything they want to say or ask -- or practice?  (Laughter.)

      Oh, if that’s the case, then I think we should dance some more.  Let’s dance some more!  One more dance!  You guys show me one more dance?  (Applause.)  All right, show me one more dance.

                                        END                           5:40 P.M. IST