Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on 3 October 2026 described Indian-Americans as a 'living bridge' between India and the United States, urging members of the diaspora in the Chicago area to remain deeply committed to their adopted nation while keeping their motherland close to their hearts.

Goyal addressed the Indian-American community after paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on Gandhi Jayanti, framing the diaspora's contributions to American society as a force that simultaneously strengthens bilateral ties between New Delhi and Washington.

Key Remarks to the Diaspora

'Each one of you are the living bridge between the United States and India. Each one of you is an ambassador of India to the United States,' Goyal said, thanking Indian-Americans for their service to the country that had offered them 'opportunities, prosperity and a future.'

He urged the community to be loyal and honest to their adopted homeland: 'Be loyal to it, be honest to it, work hard for your nation. But always keep in your mind, in your heart, a little place for your mother and for all the people.'

Gandhi Jayanti Tributes in Skokie

Goyal's day in Chicago began with floral tributes at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Sculpture in Skokie, Illinois. In a post on X, the minister said Gandhi's 'timeless ideals of non-violence, simplicity and truth, deeply rooted in India's civilisational ethos, continue to guide and inspire humanity across generations.'

Addressing the gathering, he recalled Gandhi's emphasis on non-violence, equality and concern for marginalised communities, and noted the enduring presence of Gandhian thought in the United States. 'The statue today in Chicago in a way also gives us a deep message that while India may be thousands of miles away from here, the ideas that left behind are living in all of you in Chicago,' he said.

Swami Vivekananda's Legacy at the Art Institute

Earlier in the day, Goyal visited Fullerton Hall at the Art Institute of Chicago, the venue associated with Swami Vivekananda's landmark address at the World's Parliament of Religions on 11 September 1893. In a post on X, he described the hall as a place that 'once echoed with thunderous applause for Swami Vivekananda ji,' adding that Vivekananda had carried India's philosophy of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' — the world as one family — to a global audience.

He later paid floral tributes to Vivekananda at the Consulate General of India in Chicago. Goyal depicted the monk as a young Indian who arrived in the United States proud of his heritage and used the Chicago platform to articulate the unity of different faiths — a message he said continued to resonate with Indians and the diaspora alike.

Goyal's Assurance on Overseas Indian Safety

Goyal offered the community a direct assurance from New Delhi, citing past crises in Yemen, Ukraine and elsewhere where India had intervened to protect its citizens abroad. 'We back home are watching your back. We care for you and you will always have us as a support,' he said. 'Your nation, your motherland will always stand by you, will be there for you, for your families, for your children.'

The minister's Chicago visit comes amid sustained diplomatic and economic engagement between India and the United States, with the Indian-American community — estimated at over 4 million — increasingly recognised as a significant factor in shaping the bilateral relationship. How Goyal's outreach translates into tangible community and trade outcomes will be closely watched in the weeks ahead.