India has not forgotten its strategic partners: PM

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

New Delhi, Mar 11: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today (Mar 11, 2006) assured that India had not ''forgotten'' its strategic and traditional partners like Russia, even while working towards strengthening its relationship with the United States.

''Our relationship with Russia is warmer and stronger ever before. The same is the case with our relations with France, the UK and China,'' he said, wrapping up a discussion on the Indo-US civilian nuclear energy cooperation in the Lok Sabha.

In this context, he pointed out that a delegation from China was now discussing the border issue with India.

Pointing out that the United States was a global power, he said their interests did not normally converge with ours. But in some areas it did and the civil nuclear energy was one such. Therefore, ''we should make use of all opportunities'' available to us in dealing with our needs. ''We have done this when we signed the agreement on separation of civil and military nuclear facilities.'' Dr Singh said India had been using the space open to it to increase its engagement with other countries. ''It was the pursuit of national enlightenment that guided us in dealing with the US.'' He said India signed an agreement to launch a Knowledge Initiative on Agriculture with a view to ushering in a Second Green Revolution in the country . ''It is a necessary tool to remove productivity stagnation in agriculture,'' he added.

In this context, he recalled the help extended by American scientists to set up major agricultural universities, institutions that spurred the first Green revolution in the country.

He said the Knowledge Initiative would help India get the technical knowledge and technical expertise from the United States to upgrade its agricultural institutions and extension services.

''Why should there be objection to this?'' he asked, pointing out that ''there is no harm in accepting any knowledge that helps us increase productivity of our agricultural crops''.

On the Left criticism that India had been deviating from its independent foreign policy, Dr Singh said, ''our foreign policy is rooted in civilisational heritage and the pursuit of enlightened national interests is what guides us in dealing with various countries.'' He said the Indo-US deal was a ''step forward to get on to a higher growth and development trajectory''.

UNI

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