Great Minds Think Alike: Barack Obama and Narendra Modi present similar approaches to dealing with issues.


Today, an increasingly interconnected world is facing similar issues, be it effective utilization of natural resources, sustaining oneself in an increasingly competitive world or dealing with the existential threat of climate change. People’s faith in governments too, is at an all time low and it is important that leaders repose people’s faith in democracy.

It is often said that ‘Great minds think alike’ and this is substantiated when one looks at Barack Obama’s recent State of the Union Address and Shri Modi’s speeches. One finds a striking resemblance in their visions and their approaches towards dealing with issues facing their respective populace.

If one pays attention, one can find Mr. Obama’s State Of The Union address to be similar to Shri Modi’s recent speech at SRCC.

Some excerpts are listed below –

 

Barack Obama’s SOTU Address Shri Modi’s speeches
On the Role of Government It’s not a bigger government we need, but a smarter government that sets priorities and invests in broad-based growth.  I feel Government has no business to be in business. I believe in minimum government, maximum Governance.”
On Manufacturing Our economy is adding jobs- but too many people still can’t find full time employment…Our first priority is to make America a magnet for new jobs and manufacturing Let us make the world our market and send our goods to the world. Branding is needed. When we were small, we read ‘Made in Japan’ and we bought a product. No one asked what company did the product belong to. Why cannot we make ‘Made in India’ brand for India? However, we cannot do this only in one sphere.
On Youth It is our generation’s task, then, to reignite the true engine of America’s economic growth – a rising, thriving middle class.  I want that this nation does not see youth as new age voter but they are the New Age Power. I am sure the youth of India will fulfil Swami Vivekananda’s dream of Jagad Guru Bharat
On Utilization of  Natural Resources After years of talking about it, we are finally   poised to control our own energy future.  We produce more oil at home than we have in 15 years.  We have doubled the distance our cars will go on a gallon of gas, and the amount of renewable energy we generate from sources like wind and solar – with tens of thousands of good, American jobs to show for it.  We produce more natural gas than ever before – and nearly everyone’s energy bill is lower because of it. “I say our nation is not poor. We have so many natural resources. See our Eastern India, it is full of natural resources. But we are not able to channelize this opportunity and create wealth. This is a challenge we have to overcome.”
On Technology Up-gradation and improvement of Infrastructure America’s energy sector is just one part of an aging infrastructure badly in need of repair.  Ask any CEO where they’d rather locate and hire: a country with deteriorating roads and bridges, or one with high-speed rail and internet; high-tech schools and self-healing power grids. In industrial development, we are lagging behind because we did not stress on technology up-gradation.”Ahmedabad was called the Manchester of the East but the mills closed down. Why? Because we did not upgrade our technology. Technology up-gradation is must. 
On Skill Development These initiatives in manufacturing, energy, infrastructure, and housing will help entrepreneurs and small business owners expand and create new jobs.  However, none of it will matter unless we also equip our citizens with the skills and training to fill those jobs. We need to stress on three things- Skill, Scale and Speed. Skill Development must be strengthened, Scale must be big, and Speed must be quick. We have done a movement towards Skill Development. This is not happening at such a scale nowhere in India. 
On Education Tonight, I’m announcing a new challenge to redesign America’s high schools so they better equip graduates for the demands of a high-tech economy.  We’ll reward schools that develop new partnerships with colleges and employers, and create classes that focus on science, technology, engineering, and math – the skills today’s employers are looking for to fill jobs right now and in the future.  See the sphere of education. In 2001 we had 11 Universities today we have 42 Universities! And these are not ordinary Universities. We are 1st to have a forensic science university. We are first state to have Raksha Shakti University where whoever wants to join police, army can join & after regular course he can pursue dreams. We have most youthful police force in India. We have stressed on technology savvy police force.
On Climate Change But for the sake of our children and our future, we must do more to combat climate change.  I will direct my Cabinet to come up with executive actions we can take, now and in the future, to reduce pollution, prepare our communities for the consequences of climate change, and speed the transition to more sustainable sources of energy.  Friends, our commitment to Renewable Energy are an integral part of our commitment to address the issue of Global warming and Climate change. In fact, I have been saying that it is an issue of ‘Climate Justice’.It is a part of our concern for the future generations.