'Can select a friend, not a neighbour,' says Nirmala Sitharaman of India-US relations.
Nirmala Sitharaman, India's finance minister, remarked about India's purchase of oil and arms from Russia during the Ukraine conflict.
Nirmala Sitharaman, the Union Finance Minister, was in the United States for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Spring Meetings. (HT PRINT) (PTI) (File photo)
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who is in the United States this week, spoke on the Washington-New Delhi relationship in the context of India's geography on Friday, emphasising that "a friend cannot be weak." "You may choose your buddy, but not your neighbour," the finance minister said, adding that "India does not have the choice of relocating" and that the country must thus adopt a "measured posture." Her remarks came in the context of queries about India's purchases of weaponry and oil from Russia, which has been subjected to international sanctions as a result of the Ukraine conflict.
In a video tweeted by news agency ANI, the 62-year-old leader, while answering a question, says: "Every bettering of relationship with the US... there is a recognition that there is a friend there but the friend's geographical location is to be understood. And a friend can't be weakened for any reason. We have to understand the geographical location. The northern borders are at tension... the western borders are at odds...and there's Afghanistan... It's not like India has a choice to relocate."
In a video posted on Twitter by news agency ANI, the 62-year-old leader states in response to a question: "Every improvement in relations with the United States... acknowledges the presence of a friend there, but the friend's geographical location must be appreciated. A friend, on the other hand, cannot be weakened for any cause. We need to know where we are in relation to the rest of the world. The northern borders are tense, the western borders are tense, and there's Afghanistan to contend with... It's not as if India has the option of relocating."
WATCH Every improvement in ties with the US requires an understanding of a friend's geography—our northern borders are tense... India wants to be a friend, but if you want to be a friend, don't weaken the friend. Due to geography, taking a calibrated stance: In Washington, DC, FM Sitharaman pic.twitter.com/ti8oTwq0an
She continued, invoking former Prime Minister and BJP veteran Atal Bihari Vajpayee: "You have no control over your neighbour, but you do have control over your friend. What you have is your neighbourhood. If the United States wants a buddy, it will not want a weak one. As a result, we're making decisions because we need to know where we are based on our current position."
"It is widely acknowledged that India's relationship with the United States has progressed." It's gotten a lot more complicated. There isn't a single person who doubts it. But there is also a realisation that India has legacy concerns as well as relationships spanning decades, not simply the past dependence on Russia for defence supplies. And, if anything, I can confidently state that there is a positive understanding. "It's not a negative perception," she clarified.
One of the issues discussed during the press briefing was Russia's energy dependence, which has been a continuous worry for the West during the Ukraine conflict. "In our energy basket, which comes primarily from the Middle East and a small amount from the United States, the fraction from the Russian Federation does not bother us. Russia contributes no more than 3% to 4% of total crude production."
According to her, the conflict in Ukraine, which began on February 24, has posed issues for India as well. "Some aspects of the Ukraine conflict are problematic; for example, sunflower oil production, which is heavily dependent on Ukraine, is currently halted... We're on the lookout for other options. (Supply of) key fertilisers from Russia will be problematic due to sanctions."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi indicated earlier this month that if the WTO allows it, India can sell foodgrains to the rest of the globe. Sitharaman reiterated her statements on Friday.
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