Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said his government will defend the rights of citizens of all faiths.During his address at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, he asked the global community to dwell deep on culture and religion to overcome the rising tide of extremism as well as violence.
Noting that culture remains a source of conflict in many parts of the world, Modi said it must connect and not divide and that it should be a bridge to greater respect and understanding between people. The Prime Minister said, it is our duty to ensure that every citizen, of every faith, culture and creed has an equal place in our society; belief in our future; and the confidence to pursue it.
Calling climate change a pressing global challenge, the Prime Minister said his government has set a target of adding 175,000 MW of clean and renewable energy in the next seven years. His remarks come ahead of a crucial UN meet on climate change to be held in Paris later this year.
Modi said science is a key priority of India’s international engagement and is an important tool to achieve developmental goals which is otherwise not possible only with just policies and resources.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister met two groups of business leaders of France in the defence and infrastructure sectors. Briefing on the meeting, the spokesman of External Affairs Ministry, Mr Akabaruddin said during the meetings, the focus was on Make in India campaign.