india buys perhaps $20 billion worth of military equipment. so the relationship has deepened. and indeed, part of reason for this trip is to deepen that mil kwirm equipment so the relationship deepens. there are many things that both countries share, for example, india and china border each other. india also borders afghanistan and the recent truce between or at least week of peace between the united states and the taliban has raised fears in india so strategically, the united states is very, very important for india and certainly when president trump goes to new delhi tomorrow and meets political and business leaders, geopolitics will be

high on the agenda. there will be no major trade deals between the two countries. just to let you know just after this rally, president trump and melania trump will go from here from this new jewel of india, the world's biggest cricket stadium, they will go to the city of igra, and that is where the taj mahal is situated. now, the taj mahal is perhaps the most photographed building in the world. it is an icon of india. it's a 17th century palace of love that famously has been visited by people like princess diana, famously alone, jackie kennedy went there. president bill clinton went there when he was president, and way back in 1959 president

eisenhower also visited so mr. trump will be the third american president to visit the taj ma l mahal, but he is here on the his first visit, the first visit of president trump to the world's biggest democracy, mr. modi, of course, who is hosting him just won re-election last year with an extraordinary mandate. president trump just at the beginning of an election campaign that will culminate for him in november. and again, in the research most indians will be very happy to see president trump reelected. a huge cheer from the crowd. they are seeing some other indian officials coming out. still no sign of the indian prime minister who may come into the stadium hand in hand with

president trump. if you were remembering last year at that houston rally in texas, there was the extraordinary site of president trump's and prime minister modi hand in hand touring the stadium with 50,000 people cheering them. so we're just seeing ivanka trump, the president's daughter, just sitting down now. she's just about to sit down. she's waving to the crowd. many of them waving back. she's in the front row there. more american officials coming out now. ivanka trump is accompanied by the president's son-in-law, jared kushner, and just behind me you can probably see that stage with the two cream colored seats where the two leaders will sit, and they are sitting behind

bullet proof glass. now, don't be alarmed by that. it is quite normal for prime minister modi at big gathering celebrations here to be seated behind and protected by bullet proof glass. remember, india is a place where political leaders, leaders of the country have been assassinated before, more than one, so the indian security services take the personal safety of their leaders extremely seriously, and of course president trump and the secret service here do too. and president trump arrived here. now the crowd is breaking into chanting. they're chanting, modi, modi, in anticipation that he is about to arrive. >> to speak, and bill, we can certainly -- >> just want to pause for a second. >> yes, we can hear the crowd behind you. really, they've been waving and

anticipating the arrival of the prime minister and president trump at this. what's interesting when we watch the motorcade come in, there have been all these banners showing pictures of the prime minister and president trump and melania and saying they're both democracies. they're really holding together and really pro pomoting that friendship and that was miles long of the drive from the airport to the ashram and then the ashram to this stadium. banners promoting president trump and the prime minister and their friendship and their democratic philosophies. one saying old democracy, new democracy, and here we're seeing ivanka trump right there having her picture taken as she is in front of the stage. obviously her first -- her inaugural visit to this stadium as well, and as bill neely mentioned, this is the largest cricket stadium in the world.

it is set to be inaugurated today by president trump and prime minister modi, and this also will be part of the cricket world cup, which is in 2023 coming up. so as you mentioned, the timing didn't have to be done now, but it was done, and this is an event that the prime minister had been planning pretty much, you know, as sort of a counter to his howdy modi that happened in houston in september when the prime minister came to visit the united states, and that was about 50,000 people at that howdy modi rally in texas, and now we are waiting -- the stadium apparently has gotten rather quiet. the music is coming back up again. we will be waiting to see prime minister, and we're going to go back now to bill neely in the stadium. bill, i'm going to toss this back to you. you've got the pulse of what's going on in that stadium.

>> reporter: i've got the pulse of an extraordinarily large rock band behind me. yeah, you can probably hear it and see it. you are talking about the road in from the airport. i mean, the number of billboards that says things like two strong nations, one great friendship, and two dynamic personalities, one momentous occasion, all around this stadium there are similar slogans. great countries, great friendships, another one that great democracies at the world's biggest cricket stadium. and all along that route president trump was coming in, certainly tens of thousands of people, not absolutely sure there were the 5 to 7 million or even the 10 million that

president trump thought might be on that -- a lot of people on that route. so you can probably hear right behind me just moving forward the chats of some people waving at the crowd. they've been waving back. they've been all taking selfies, photographs, and so on. but this crowd now really anticipating what is, of course, the first event at this stastad. it will host some world cup crickets events, and cricket in this country is perhaps the biggest sport. it is of course a global sport. popular in pakistan, australia, new zealand and of course famously england where it began, but this has now overtaken a stadium in melbourne as the world's biggest cricket runs, and president trump has chosen as the man to inaugurate him. you can't see it, but there are

many, many indian army officers, police officers, 10,000 police between the airport and this stadium. it's fair to say that the city of ahmedabad has been gearing up for this event for certainly weeks if not months and indeed at the taj mahal where they will go next workers have been cleaning and polishing that famous monument for days now. so a high sense of anticipation here. it's on all the indian national television channels of which there are dozens. so it would be fair to say that virtually the entire nation is watching this event. it's really important for india. one of the reasons -- prime minister modi was reelected was

his promise to -- and i paraphrase it, to make india great. he wants india to be seen as a global power, to be seen as something really important in the world, and he wants to put india alongside china and russia and the united states. a great cheer has just gone up, and i think donald trump is on stage. there he is embracing the prime minister of india. mump waving to the crowd and their hands have gone in the air. >> bill neely, thank you. we are going to -- >> pumping his fist there. >> he is definitely in the house so to speak. we are going to listen in to this rally and the two speaking at this conference. >> so they're moving just to the front of the stage now.

there's prime minister modi waving to his people. this is his stronghold, these are his supporters, and president trump shaking hands and embracing prime minister modi once again. it was noticeable when they were together at the houston howdy modi rally how much bodily contact there was between the two men. president trump has made it absolutely clear that he likes prime minister modi, whatever their trade disagreements. again, melania trump waving to the crowds. all three standing behind that bullet proof glass that will protect them all, and the crowd all standing. all on their feet at the moment, and they are about to play the national anthem of india and the united states.

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>> reporter: a huge cheer after both national anthems as the flags of both countries were shown during those anthems on giant screens around the stadium, two strong nations, one great friendship say the banners, and now prime minister naren narendra modi is about to speak to the crowd. people cheering and chant ing modi, modi. let's listen in. >> translator: long live india, long live india, long live

india. namaste trump, namaste trump, i would say india, u.s. friendship, usa long live, long live. india, usa friendship, india u.s. friendship. india, u.s. friendship. namas namaste. today a new history is being created at the stadium. today we are also seeing history being repeated.

five months ago i began my visit to america with the howdy modi event in houston. and today my friend president donald trump is beginning his historic trip to india in ahmedabad with namaste trump. you can imagine he has come directly here from america. as soon as he landed in india after such a long journey, president trump and his family

went straight to the ashram, and after that they have come here for this program. welcome to all of you to the world's biggest democracy. we are gathered here, but the enthusiasm to welcome you is shared by all of india. this enthusiasm, these loud cheers that the skies resound with, this whole atmosphere from the airport to the stadium, everywhere colors and more colors, the varied colors of india's diversity, and in the

midst of all this, the presence of president trump, first lady melania trump, ivanka, and jared, the presence of president trump here with his family imparts a new sweetness and closeness of family ties to the relations between india and the united states. india, usa relations are no longer just another partnership. it is a far greater and closer relationsh relationship. the solicitation event is called

namaste trump, namaste also has a very deep meaning. it is a word from one of the world's oldest languages, sanscript. it signifies that we bow not just to the individual but also to the divinity within the person. my grateful thanks to the people of other indian states living in goodrad for this grand event. mr. president, not far from where we stand today thrived the planned city of tolavira 5,000

years ago and also where existed the seaport lotel. today you are on the banks of the river, which is of great significance in the story of india's independence. you are in an india that is full of diversity where hundreds of languages are spoken and where there are hundreds of kinds of attire, several kinds of cuisine, several religions and communities. this rich diversity of ours, unity and diversity and the vibrancy of unity is a very strong foundation for the relations between india and

america. one is the land of the free. the other believes that the whole world is but one family. one has pride in its statue of liberty, the other takes pride in the world's tallest statute, statute of unity. there is so much that we share, shared values and ideas, a shared spirit of enterprise and innovation. shared opportunities and challeng challenges. shared hopes and aspirations. i'm very happy that under the

leadership of president trump, friendship between india and the united states has further deepened and that is why indeed this visit by president trump marks a new chapter in our relations, a chapter which wi will -- a new era of progress and prosperity for the people of the united states and india, friends, president trump, what he has done for realizing the american dream is well-known. today we warmly welcome the trump family, first lady melania

trump, your presence here is a great honor for us. your effort for a healthy and happy america are yielding good resul results. what you're doing for children in your society is praise worthy. you often say be best and the best is what this perception by the people has strived to be. you would have felt it, too. ivanka, you visited india two years ago. you had told me then that you would like to visit india again. i'm very happy that you are with

us today. you are very welcome. jar jared, you are known to stay away from the limelight, yet what you do is very effective and has a far reaching impact whenever we meet, you often mention your indian friends. i'm very happy to meet you again and to see you here amongst us. friends, today along with every indian and american, the entire world is keen to hear president trump speak at this event.

after his address i will have the opportunity to say a few more words when i thank him. on behalf of 1.3 billion indians, i invite president trump president trump to address us. friends i present to you my friend india's friend the president of the united states of america, mr. donald trump. please give him a round of applau applause, namaste, trump. namaste, trump.

>> namaste, namaste. and hello to india. this is such a great honor. let me begin by expressing my profound gratitude to an exceptional leader, a great champion of india, a man who works night and day for his country and a man i am proud to call my true friend prime minister modi. the first lady and i have just traveled 8,000 miles around the globe to deliver a message to every citizen across this nation. america loves india. america respects india, and

america will always be faithful and loyal friends to the indian people. five months ago the united states welcomed your great prime minister at a giant football stadium in texas, and today india welcomes us at the world's largest cricket stadium right here in ahmedabad. it is a profound honor to be the beautiful, new stadium to be here with you. so beautiful and joined by so many distinguished guests from all across your nation and all across the world, to the hundreds of thousands of everyday citizens who come out and line the streets in a stunning display of indian

culture and kindness and to the 125,000 people in this great stadium today, thank you for the spectacular welcome to your magnificent country. you have done a great honor to the american people. melania, my family, we will always remember this remarkable hospitality. we will remember it forever. from this day on, india will always hold a very special place in our hearts. the life of prime minister modi underscores the limitless promise of this great nation. he started out by his father's side as a tea seller.

when he was a young man, he worked at a cafeteria in this city. everybody loves him, but i will tell you this, he's very tough. today prime minister modi is the tremendously successful leader of this vast indian republic. last year more than 600 million people went to the polls and gave him a landslide victory like no other in the largest democratic election ever held anywhere on the face of the earth.

prime minister modi, you are not just the pride, you are living proof that with hard work and devotion, indians can accomplish anything, anything at all, anything they want. the prime minister has a moving story of an incredible rise, and so does this entire nation. your nation is doing so well. we are very, very proud of india. the story of the indian nation is a tale of astounding progress, a miracle of democracy, extraordinary diversity, and above all, a strong and noble people. india gives hope to all of

humanity. in just 70 years, india has become an economic giant. the largest democracy ever to exist, and one of the most amazing nations anywhere in the world. since the turn of the century, india's economy has grown more than six times in size. in a single decade india has listed over 270 million people out of poverty. under prime minister modi, for the first time in history, every village in india now has access to electricity. 320 million people, more indians are right now connected to the internet. the pace of highway construction has more than doubled.

over 70 million more households. think of this, 70 million more households have access to cooking fuel. 600 million more people have access to basic sanitation and incredibly 12 indian citizens are lifted out of extreme poverty every single minute of every single day. india will soon be the home of the biggest middle class anywhere in the world and within less than ten years extreme poverty in your country is projected to completely disappear. the potential for india is absolutely incredible. india's rise as a prosperous and independent nation is an example to every nation all over the

world, and one of the most outstanding achievements of our century. it is all the more inspiring because you have done it as a democratic country. you have done it as a peaceful country. you have done it as a tolerant country, and you have done it as a great, free country. there is all the difference in the world between a nation that seeks power through coercion, intimidation, and aggression and a nation that rises by setting its people free and unleashing them to chase their dreams, and that is india. this is why india's accomplishment over the last 70 years is completely unrivalled

no matter where you go. it is your faith in the strength of a free society, your confidence in your own people, your trust in your own citizens, and your respect for the dignity of every person that makes the united states and india such a natural, beautiful enduring friendship. while our nations have many differences, they are both defined and propelled by a fundamental truth, the truth that all of us are blessed with divine light and every person is endowed with a sacred soul. as the great religious teacher s once said the moment i stand in reverence before every human being and see god in him, that

moment i am free. in america and in india, we know that we are all born for a higher purpose, to reach toward our fullest potential, to work toward excellence and perfection and to gif ave all glory to god. powered by this spirit, indians and americans are always striving to be greater. our people are always seeking to be better, and so our nations have become thriving centers of culture and commerce and civilization giving light and vitality to all of the world. this is the country that produces nearly 2,000 movies a year from the hub of genius and creativity known as bollywood.

all over the planet, people take great joy in scenes of music, dance, romance, and drama, and classic indian ddlj. this is the country where your people cheer on some of the world's greatest cricket players. the greatest in the world. this is the country that built the tallest statue on the face of the earth to honor the name sake of this stadium, the great indian patriot and native of this state sardar pa tel.

hundreds of millions light candles to celebrate the triumph of good over evil at duwali. and it's where just days from now indians of all faiths will pour out onto the streets to celebrate the beautiful festival of holy. india is a country that proudly embraces freedom, liberty, individual rights, the rule of law, and the dignity of every human being. your nation has always been admired around the earth as the place where millions upon millions of hindus, and muslimm, buddhists, christians and jews worship side by side in harmony. where you speak more than 100 languages and come from more than two dozen states, yet you have always stood strong as one

great indian nation. your unity is an inspiration to the world. in america we have come to know the splendor of indian culture personally through the 4 million indian americans living in the united states as our wonderful friends, colleagues, and neighbors. they are truly spectacular people. indian americans enrich every aspect of our national life. they are titans of buzsiness, te biggest, the best, pioneers of science, masters of the art, and innovation of technology like few people have been able to see no matter where you go anywhere in this universe. nearly one in four indian americans trace their roots

right here. it's a special place. so on behalf of the entire american people, thank you, and thank you all for the contributions your culture and traditions have made to my beloved country. americans are eager to strengthen these beautiful ties between our two people. this is truly an exciting time in the united states. our economy is booming like never before. our people are prospering, and spirits are soaring. there is tremendous love, tremendous love like. we like and we love everybody. unemployment has hit historic lows and small business confidence has hit an all time record high in the history of

our country. our military has been completely rebuilt. it is now stronger than ever before, and we are quickly revitalizing our alliances and friendships all around the world. we have spent $2.5 trillion on rebuilding our military. it's the most powerful military anywhere in the world by far. that is why i have come here to india in the spirit of fondness and goodwill to expand our cherished partnership of incredible power and potential. the first lady and i have just had a pleasure of visiting mahatma gandhi's ashram a few miles from here where he launched the famous salt march.

and tomorrow in dehli we will lay a wreath, plant a seed in honor of this leader who is revered all around the world, and the first lady and i look forward to visiting one of your country east most iconic landmarks. we are later today going to see the majestic taj mahal. the prime minister and i will also continue our important discussions about how to deepen the relationship between our two great countries. both of us understand that when leaders put the interests of their own citizens first, we can forge strong and fair partnerships to build a safer and more prosperous world. just months ago this critical partnership took a major step forward when the u.s. military and your brave indian armed

forces conducted the first ever air, land, and sea military exercises between our two countries. it was something to behold. we called it tiger triumph. as we continue to build our defense cooperation, the united states looks forward to providing india with some of the best and most feared military equipment on the planet. we make the greatest weapons ever made. airplanes, missiles, rockets, ships. we make the best, and we're dealing now with india. but this includes advanced air defense systems and armed and unarmed aerial vehicles. i am pleased to announce tomorrow our representatives will announce deals to sell over

$3 billion in the absolute finest state of the art military helicopters and other equipment to the indian arms forces. i believe the united states should be india's premier defense partner, and that's the way it's working out. together we will defend our sor sovereignty, security, and protect an open indo-pacific region for our children and for many, many generations to come. the united states and india are also firmly united in our ironclad resolve to defend our citizens from the threat of radical islamic terrorism. both of our countries have been hurt by the pain and turmoil of terrorism, and that terrorism brings. under my administration we

unleashed the full power of the american military on blood thirsty killers of isis in iraq and in syria. today the isis territorial caliphate has been 100% destroyed and the monster known as al baghdadi, the founder and leader of isis is dead. in the united states we have also made clear that while our country will always welcome newcomers who share our values and love our people, our borders will always be closed to terrorists and terrorism and to any form of extremism. that is why we have taken historic steps to improve screening and vetting of applications for entry, and we are working to ensure that anyone who threatens the security of our citizens is denied admission, and will pay a very, very big costly price.

every nation has the right to secure and control borders. the united states and india are committed to working together to stop terrorists and to fight their ideology. for this reason since taking office, my administration is working in a very positive way with pakistan to crack down on the terrorist organizations and militants that operate on the pakistani border. our relationship with pakistan is a very good one thanks to these efforts, we are beginning to see signs of big progress with pakistan, and we are hopeful for reduced tensions, greater stability in the future

of harmony for all of the nations of south asia. india has an important leadership role to play in shaping a better future as you take on greater responsibility for solving problems and promoting peace throughout this incredible region. over the course of my visit, prime minister modi and i will also discuss our efforts to expand the economic ties between our two countries. we will be making very, very major among the biggest ever made trade deals. we are in the early stages of discussion for an incredible trade agreement to reduce barriers of investment between the united states and india, and i am optimistic that working together the prime minister and i can reach a fantastic deal that's good and even great for both of our countries.

except that he's a very tough negotiat negotiator. since my inauguration, commerce between our two nations has increased by more than 40%. india is now a major market for american exports, and the united states is india's largest export market. a booming america is a great thing for india, and it's great for the world, and that's why we're so happy to announce that we have had the greatest economy ever in the history of the united states. in america we have proven that the best way to attract jobs and opportunity is to reduce burdens on business, knock down barriers to new investments, and

eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy red tape regulation, and taxes. prime minister modi has already made significant reforms here in your country as you very well know. the world looks forward to even more rapid improvement to india's business climate under his leadership. he wants to do it, and he's doing it at a record pace. two years ago prime minister modi warmly welcomed my daughter ivanka to the global entrepreneurship summit, and she is back with us today, ivanka, thank you. thank you for being here. we are delighted to be joined as well by dozens of indian women entrepreneurs who are helping to build your nation's future. they are great and natural entrepreneurs, and i just say to the men be very careful. they're really good.

the united states and india are also working closely together on the future of space exploration. you are making impressive strides with your exciting lunar program. it is moving along rapidly far ahead of schedule, and america looks forward to expanding our space cooperation with india as you push even further, you are pushing the limits and that's a great thing including in the realm of human space flight. the united states and india will be friends and partners on our voyage into the stars and into space. it is truly extraordinary what this nation has achieved in the span of just one lifetime and what they have done under the leadership of prime minister modi.

it is absolutely incredible. mr. prime minister, congratulations. you have come so far, but it is nothing compared to how far india will go into the future and the prime minister is laying the foundations for a future like few other countries can even think of. this nation is blessed with many treasures from the sacred banks of the ganges to the golden temple. it is the home to some of the most cherished cultural heritage anywhere on earth. it is also the land of stunning vistas and astounding natural wonders, from the rugged peaks of the himalayas to the splendid shor shores. india has always -- from the

ancient epics all the way to the modern india nation, but standing before all of you today, i know that true strength of india is not found in its textbooks, its landmarks or its landscap landscapes. the truth strength of india is found in 125,000 beating hearts in this stadium and the millions and millions of people who have seen and witnessed our great friendship and admiration today. it is all found in the soul and the spirit of the indian people. your courage won and secured this nation's independence. your devotion built this great and enduring democracy, and it is your dreams that will power this country to a future even greater progress, prosperity, equality, and opportunity for

every citizen across your land. so today i say to every indian north and south, hindu and musl muslim. jewish and christian, rich and poor, young and old, take pride in the glories of your past, unite for a brighter future, and let our two nations always stand together as powerful defenders of peace and liberty and the hope of a better world for all of humanity. thank you again, prime minister modi for your hospitality, and thank you, india, for this phenomenal welcome. i want to just leave by saying god bless india, god bless the united states of america. we love you. we love you, india, very much. that you think, thank you. >> president trump saying words

to a crowd of over 100,000, had he quoted as 125,000. these are closing comments now by prime minister modi. lets listen in. >> translator: thank you, thank you mr. president. i will try to express my heartfelt gratitude to you for the words you -- the kind words you spoke about india, about mahatma gandhi and patel, the way you spoke about the cultures and achievements of the people of india, and the kind words you used. >> we just lost that coming in from the stadium, but just to wrap up, president trump and there is prime minister modi now

speaking. >> translator: today is the biggest stadium in the worldment some of the sports facilities are still under construction. however, despite all that, your presence here today will motivate each and every person involved in the world of sport. i would also like to express my deepest felt gratitude to the association for providing this spectacular venue. this may have affected their completion schedule, but i'm sure that they will make up for it. frien friends, a relationship between two individuals or two countries is trust.

faith in each other. in india, it is often also said, friendship is well, trust is unshakable. in the last few years the way trust has grown and strengthened between india and the united states to reach new heights is truly historic. during my own visit to the united states, i saw this trust being reinforced every single day. i remember when i first met president trump in washington he had said india has a true friend in the white house. president trump's special love

for india has always been evident. as you also mentioned, when the festival of lights is celebrated in the white house, the 4 million indians who live in the united states feel a sense of pride in being travelers in america's journey of progress. friends, like in the united states there is unprecedented m for change in india. today 1.3 billion indians are building a new india. our youth has many aspirations setting ambitious goals and then achieving them is becoming the whole mark of new india today. today there is not just the world's largest cricket stadium in india. it also has the largest

assurance scheme in the world. today india is not just building the largest solar -- it is also operating the largest sanitation program in the world. today india has set the world record of not just the largest number of satellite launched in one goal, it has also set the world record in rapid financial inclusion. in the 21st century whether it is infrastructure or the social sector, we are using global bench marks to move forward. in the last three years, india has not just done away with 1,500 old laws, it has also passed many new ones to empower

society whether it is the rights, respect for muslim women by legislating a case of instant divorce, giving priority to the differently abled, providing for 26 weeks of paid leave for pregnant women. indeed there are many such rights that we have enshuured f different sections of society. friends, i'm very happy that in this context of many positive changes in india, the u.s. has become its trusted partner. today it is united states that is india's largest trading partner. today it is with the united states that india is organizing the largest number of military exercises. today it is with the united

states that india has the most extensive research and development partnerships. today whether it is different, the energy sector, in every single field our relationship has been continuously growing. friends, during this decade of the 21st century, new india also brings with it many new opportunities for resurgent america. both our countries can gain a lot in every area of development. the growth of manufacturing in india, the expansion of its infrastructure will create new opportunities for the united states. >> president trump speaking along side prime minister modi developing overnight, the president in india right now where he just wrapped up a

speech to his largest crowd yet. we are going to get a live report. >> plus, big news for joe biden, and it is not just a second place finish in nevada. the big name endorsement he is set to receiverings, the dow se to drop more than 350 points as cases of coronavirus surge outside of china. good monday morning, everybody, it is february 24th. i'm yasmin vossoughian alongside ayman mohyeldin. we begin with president trump's first trip abroad since his acquittal from the senate impeachment trial. the president and first lady melania trump arrived in india today, the world's largest democracy, to a two-day state vis branded as namaste president trump. despite the fanfare and warm ti