Q.1 Looking back 65 years, what are the main achievements of Independent India?
Ans. India can take pride in its strong secular credentials, its commitment to the rule of law, and the strength it derives from its vast linguistic, religious, ethnic and cultural diversity. India can also take satisfaction in that that it has an active civil society, a free media, an independent and impartial judiciary, and its mechanisms for redressal. It is on this edifice that modern India is being built. In recent decades, the hard work, dedication and entrepreneurial talent of the Indian people, coupled with India’s large, highly skilled technical workforce have served as the engine of economic growth. IT, pharmaceuticals, telecom and the services sector, amongst others, have contributed to making India one of the fastest growing world economies. We seek to provide our people with an enabling environment so that their energy and enthusiasm is constructively channeled towards nation building and meeting their aspirations.
Q.2 Still about 30% of population lives on less than one and a half dollars a day. What is the Government doing to cut the gap between rich and poor?
Ans. We are acutely conscious of the enormous challenges that remain in eradicating poverty, malnutrition, disease, and illiteracy. To tackle these India has embarked on ambitious programmes for social and economic transformation of citizens on the margins of its growth story. Our policies are focused on providing opportunities to every individual to lead a life of dignity and fulfillment. We are implementing programmes for ensuring employment to rural households, scaling up rural infrastructure, universalizing elementary education, providing food security, and better health care delivery. We seek caring and inclusive growth, while investing in education, health and sanitation. Our focus is also on care of the differently-abled and the elderly, village modernization, employment generation and skill development.
Q.3 Recent failure of the electricity system affected 600 million people. What is the government doing to overcome the energy deficit?
Ans. Energy security is critical for a growing economy like India. We are expanding our capacity to meet the rising electricity demand that is also a consequence of the healthy pace at which our economy is growing. Eight thousand villages were electrified during 2011-12. We also added 20,000 MW in new power generation capacity last year. India recognizes the need to shift to a energy use pattern that is sustainable and maintains ecological harmony. Accordingly, we are developing new and renewable energy sources for supplementing energy availability in a cost competitive manner. Nuclear power is also gradually increasing its share in installed power capacity in India. Seven nuclear power stations are under construction. There are the two 1,000 MW units at Kudankulam that are being implemented in cooperation with Russia.
Q.4 India and USSR cooperated in the international arena. Delhi could count on Moscow’s support in crises periods. World has changed since that time. Is the cooperation as close today, as previously? Does India hold equal distance from Russia and USA now?
Ans. India and Russia exercise considerable and increasing influence in the international system and have a common approach to a very wide range of international issues. Mutual trust and goodwill has been characteristic of our relations since soon after we established diplomatic ties sixty five years ago. India's strategic partnership with Russia is a special and privileged one. It reflects a unique political consensus in both our countries for close ties. We are both clear that our growing engagement with USA, and indeed the rest of the world, will never be at the cost of our deep-rooted and time-tested friendship.
Q.5 What part does Russia play in strengthening India’s defence capabilities?
Ans. Russia has for long been an important partner in bolstering India’s defence capabilities. This year we mark half a century of our defence cooperation. Russia remains India's largest partner in military-technical cooperation and vice versa. India-Russia defence ties have radically transformed in recent years, from a buyer-seller relationship to a dynamic one that covers joint research, development, and production of advanced defence systems. Several flagship projects are evidence of this change, e.g., the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft project, the Multi-Role Transport Aircraft project, besides those for manufacturing the Brahmos missile, SU-30MKI fighter and T-90 tanks in India. Prospects for long-term cooperation are sound.
Q.6 Volume of trade between India and Russia has barely crossed the level of the Soviet period. Indian private companies are reluctant to invest in Russia. What should be done to improve economic cooperation?
Ans. Given the sizes of our economies and untapped economic complementarities, there is vast potential to increase our bilateral trade and economic cooperation. Government and business level institutional mechanisms have been set up for this. Our bilateral trade was US$ 7.5 billion in 2009, US$ 8.5 billion in 2010, and US$ 8.9 billion in 2011. In the first six months of 2012, our bilateral trade crossed US$ 5.7 billion, compared to $3.7 billion in the identical period in 2011. If this pace is maintained, we will end 2012 with nearly $12 billion in trade. New opportunities will also open up with Russia’s entry into WTO later this month. We are exploring a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement with the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. We would like Russian companies to be more aware of our capabilities and Indian industry to be more responsive to opportunities in Russia. Greater exposure is needed to each other's latest achievements, so that we are not be bound by old stereotypes.
Moscow
August 13, 2012
