M A I N   N E W S

World wants us to succeed: PM
‘But we need to clean up our act at home’
Tribune News Service & Agencies

On Board Air India One, April 17
At the end of his eight-day foreign trip in which he met 50 world leaders including those of the US, China, Germany, Brazil and South Africa, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was decidedly upbeat on the outcome of his tour-de-force of world affairs and said it held a larger message for India.

Answering a question asked by The Tribune Editor-in-Chief Raj Chengappa about the impact of his visit, the Prime Minister said: “We have to realise that our real problems are at home. Whether removing poverty, illiteracy and disease or uniting politically, we need to get our act together quickly.”

Manmohan went on to add: “The world takes a benign view of India. They want us to succeed. Unlike China’s rise, the rise of India does not cause any apprehensions. We should take advantage of it and act speedily. This mood cannot last.”

Manmohan Singh returned home Saturday afternoon after participating in three multilateral summits in US and Brazil and over half a dozen bilateral meetings with world leaders, including the US President. He had told Obama that “India was eagerly looking forward to his visit”. Obama had “caught the imagination of millions around the world, including the people of India who were anxious to see him soon in our country”, the Prime Minister told Obama.

Obama coming in Aug or Oct

To another question about US President Barack Obama’s likely dates of visit to India posed by another journalist travelling onboard his aircraft, the Prime Minister said: “The US President will come to India in August or October. The dates are yet to be finalised.”

PM congratulates The Tribune Editor-in-Chief

In a graceful but unusual gesture, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh broke protocol and personally congratulated The Tribune Editor-in-Chief Raj Chengappa on assuming the post. At the end of a press meet in Washington DC, the Prime Minister announced that he hadn’t met Chengappa since he took over the post and walked down from the dais to where Chengappa was seated and shook hands with him. The Prime Minister is said to be an avid reader of the newspaper. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with The Tribune Editor-in-Chief Raj Chengappa on board Air India One.