Bengaluru: During his address at the Boeing event in Bengaluru, Prime Minister Narendra Modi playfully interrupted his speech as the crowd spontaneously chanted “Modi, Modi.” Taking a light-hearted jab at Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the Prime Minister quipped, ‘Mukhyamantri ji aisa hota rehta hai (Chief Minister, this keeps happening).’ This moment added a touch of humor to the event.

Footage of the PM’s swipe has been viewed over half a million times on Twitter, where it was shared by news agency ANI.

#WATCH | "Mukhyamantri ji aisa hota rehta hai," says PM Narendra Modi to Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah as people chant 'Modi-Modi' during the inauguration event of the new Boeing India Engineering & Technology Center campus in Bengaluru. pic.twitter.com/hrzWIUAyIJ

— ANI (@ANI) January 19, 2024

Prime Minister Modi inaugurated Boeing‘s Engineering Center in Bengaluru, a significant milestone for the planemaker. The Boeing India Engineering & Technology Center (BIETC), located in Karnataka‘s capital, is the company’s largest facility outside the United States, emphasizing its commitment to research and development. The inauguration ceremony, attended by both the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister of Karnataka, included a speech by PM Modi, marking the occasion of the new campus, crafted with a substantial investment of $200 million. The expansive 43-acre campus is situated in the Hightech Defence and Aerospace Park in Devanahalli.

At the event, attended by senior Boeing executives, including Chief Operating Officer Stephanie Pope, Prime Minister Modi emphasized the imperative to establish a robust aircraft manufacturing ecosystem in India. Highlighting the immense potential within the country, he stated, ‘Given that there is so much potential in India, we need to rapidly build an aircraft manufacturing ecosystem in the country.‘ This underlines the commitment to fostering indigenous capabilities and advancing the aerospace industry within India.