Strengthening the system and spirit of cooperative federalism, my government is taking the states along to achieve national goals.

My government is continuously improving the GST regime keeping in view the suggestions being received from the business community.

As citizens and children of India - whether we live at home or abroad - we must ask ourselves how we can add to our country's pride.

India's history and destiny, India's legacy and future, are a function of coexistence and conciliation, of reform and reconciliation.

It is our sacred obligation to eliminate the curse of poverty in the shortest possible time. This is non-negotiable for the Republic.

Our Constitution framers were men and women with great foresight. They understood the majesty of the rule of law, and of rule by laws.

We have a large Indian diaspora in Italy. India deeply appreciates Italy's recognition of their contribution to socio-economic progress.

My government accords top most priority to national security. Therefore, effective steps are being taken to tackle terrorism and naxalism.

Everywhere, across continents, Gandhiji is mentioned, cherished and remembered as an icon for all humanity. He is the embodiment of India.

In pursuing the cherished goal of gender justice, to mention one example, the Supreme Court of India has always been proactive and progressive.

In addition to protecting the rights of every citizen of our country, our Constitution makes the citizens of the country mindful of their duties.

India has rarely been a judgemental society... We respect each other's identity - whether born of region, language or faith; or even the absence of faith.

My Government has not only enhanced the credibility and prestige of the passports held by the Indian diaspora but has also stood by them in their hour of need.

Humankind's craving to control nature and exploit all its resources for profit can be wiped out in a stroke by an organism we cannot even see with the naked eye.

The government can build physical infrastructure in the form of housing for the poorest of the poor, and availability of energy, toilets and water in every home.

That is how our nation has been built - by a partnership between citizen and government, between individual and society, between a family and the wider community.

Nations are not built by governments alone. The government can at best be a facilitator, and a trigger for society's innate entrepreneurial and creative instincts.

There is no doubt that the people of Afghanistan have suffered for a long time. Generations have been lost to terrorism. We empathise with their yearning for peace.

The government can build institutional infrastructure to address the paradox of floods and calamities in some parts of the country, and water scarcity in other parts.

In India, knowledge has always been considered more valuable than power, fame or riches. In our tradition, educational institutions are respected as temples of learning.

While giving a clear majority to my government in 2014, the people of the country had also given a clear mandate to take strict action against corruption and black money.

We need to build an India that is an economic leader as well as a moral exemplar. For us, those two touchstones can never be separate. They are and must forever be linked.

Our Constitution provides the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression and it also enjoins upon citizens the duty to safeguard public property and to abjure violence.

Our aspiration must be to reform, upgrade and enlarge our education system - and to make it relevant to 21st century realities of the digital economy, genomics, robotics and automation.

My Government has provided equitable access to benefits and facilities of its schemes for the poor people; of all religions and all regions, and has, thus, earned the trust of the people of the country.

People elect their representatives from the Gram Panchayat to Parliament. They vest their will and hopes in these representatives. In turn, the people's representatives devote their lives to the service of nation.

We lived in a 'kuccha' house made of mud. The thatched roof couldn't stop the water trickles during the rainy season. I, along with my brothers and sisters, used to stand in a corner and wait for the rain to stop.

Our Constitution gave us rights as citizens of a free democratic nation, but also placed on us the responsibility to always adhere to the central tenets of our democracy - justice, liberty, equality and fraternity.

It should be a matter of pride for all of us that the taxes we pay are used for nation building - to help the poor and the marginalised, to build rural and urban infrastructure, and to strengthen our border defences.

Nature promotes mutualism. The flower nourishes the bee. The river waters quench the thirst of all living beings. And trees provide a welcoming home to so many birds and animals. There is a rhythm to this togetherness.

I have nothing but unreserved praise for our armed forces, paramilitary and internal security forces. Their sacrifices to preserve the integrity and unity of our country present a saga of unparalleled courage and discipline.

There are so many people and organisations that work quietly and diligently for the poor and the disadvantaged. We should also work with unity and purpose to ensure that the benefits of government policies reach all sections of society.

It is true that when you make a boy educated, it gives benefit to one family but when you make a girl educated, its benefit goes to two families. Another important fact is that the children of an educated woman do not remain uneducated.

Government and opposition both have important roles to play. While giving expression to their political ideas, both must move forward in tandem to ensure that development of the country and welfare of its people are promoted consistently.

As a result of the policies of my government, black money in real estate sector has declined substantially, the prices of houses have come down and the dream of a normal middle class family for possessing their own house is being realised.

Prior to the 2014 General Election, the country was passing through a phase of uncertainty. After the elections, my government assumed charge and vowed to build a New India. A New India with no place for imperfect, corrupt and inertia ridden systems.

The entire planet is drawn to Indian culture and soft power. The global community looks to us for solutions to international problems - whether terrorism, money laundering or climate change. In a globalised world, our responsibilities are also global.

The stress on the moral basis of policy and action, belief in unity and discipline, faith in a synthesis of heritage and science, and promotion of the rule of law and of education - all of it is located in a partnership between citizen and government.

The key to India's success is its diversity. Our diversity is the core that makes us so unique. In this land we find a mix of states and regions, religions, languages, cultures, lifestyles and much more. We are so different and yet so similar and united.

From day one, the mission of my government based on transparency was to improve the lives of our citizens, to eradicate their difficulties owing to poor governance, and to make sure that the benefit of public services reach the lowest strata of the society.

The highest priority of my government is to remove various difficulties faced by farmers and to raise their standard of living. The schemes of my government are not only removing their hardships but also reducing the expenditure incurred by them on farming.

A tradition I remember from my childhood was that when there was a wedding in any one family, the entire village shared the responsibility and contributed. Regardless of the caste or community, the bride became the daughter of not just a single family but of the entire village.

A civic-minded nation is built by civic-minded neighbourhoods, whether in our cities or our villages. Where we respect the next-door person's space, privacy and rights. Where we do not inconvenience our neighbours - while celebrating a festival or while resorting to a protest or on any other occasion.

An election is a collective call to wisdom and a collective call to action. It represents a renewal and a recommitment to the goals and hopes of a shared and egalitarian society. It represents the diverse and yet singular urges of the people and the Republic of India. This makes the very act of voting a sacred act.

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