Words matter. These are the best Nirmala Sitharaman Quotes, and they’re great for sharing with your friends.
The Rafale deal narrative that the Congress is setting is a propaganda that has international ramifications.
With South East Asian nations, ASEAN countries, with some of them, we do have defence cooperation, and we continue with them.
A border is a border. I have to be conscious of both my borders. I will also have be conscious of my sea. It is less talked about.
The BJP does not intend to use Parliament to project Congress’s corruption.
PM Modi believes in detailed planning through extensive consultation. He is an example as a listener – no interruptions, no urgent phone calls, no distractions; he absorbs every input. He doesn’t hesitate to say he needs more inputs, another round of briefing, or more time to mull over.
It is the duty of the Defence Ministry and the forces to keep India safe.
On shipbuilding, on submarine building, warship building, coastal surveillance or small vessel building, we have both public and private sector. The capacities have really been scaled up, and the skill sets, hi-tech skill sets, have been acquired.
We look at gold from the view of the Indian market, which loves to buy more and more gold.
I don’t think I have suffered for want of being a Cabinet minister. I don’t have a Cabinet minister to whom I report. I report directly to the Prime Minister.
Obviously, defence is very sensitive and very challenging ministry.
I understand that the rupee is fairly market determined.
Free trade agreements are never for one sector alone.
France has been maintaining a very special relationship with India on defence matters.
I would love to help the textile sector, but at the same time, a big red flag is held by the automotive parts and automotive sector. They don’t want to open up to the European Union.
India lived in hopelessness, as the government was not responsive. It did not know what the poor needed. There was complete policy paralysis. Corruption was rampant, and terrorists used to play havoc in the country.
We have heard the Chinese refer to the Shangri-La Dialogue speech at various points. You have a lot of articulations about the top leadership itself about what is the spirit of India-China relations. There is a very clear understanding between the two countries about the defence relationship.
People have realised that for want of anything substantial, the Congress is using Rafale to question the government. But people are not responding or reacting positively to them. They’ve had enough of this muck-raking.
A buyer can buy anything from wherever he gets it cheap. Where will the Indian trader or farmer go in this case? Are we ready to see people sitting with their product and no international retailer wanting to buy from them?
For me, representing India, as much as I can give, I need reciprocal things to be given to me. If I am willing to offer tariff concessions on goods, I want something to be offered by them to boost India’s services.
The government doesn’t go about refuting everything that floats around.
We want to ensure that food is traded better, farmers get a better price, and consumers are able to access it at affordable prices.
The language of any joint statement between two countries is mulled over many times before it becomes final.
Every year, I have given Rs 20,000 crore worth of projects to HAL. But the previous UPA government gave just Rs 10,000 crore projects.
The government took a decision to implement ‘One Rank, One Pension’ for defence personnel in 2015 and promised to pay arrears in four instalments. I can say that all OROP arrears have been cleared, with over Rs 10,788 crore being spent.
The government’s intention is to function, to have debates in Parliament, and to work in the interest of the people.
Rupee fluctuation is not so significant compared with the other currencies. Fluctuations in currencies has been fairly steady. As the finance minister often says, fluctuation is the new normal.
There are several areas where the border is not completely defined and demarcated.
The strategy of any party would be to see how best it can defeat the party in power.
Bringing in timely laws that are the need of the hour requires nimbleness to get through the necessary legislative processes.
Issues related to investor-state disputes are a matter of serious concern. It is something which we have to apply our minds to.
I respect the Forces… but civil services also have a contribution to make. They are there to bridge administration with Forces. They are critical, and I give credit to them. I don’t claim to have done miracles in bridging it, but I have just said the two lines can go parallel.
We should be proud of the soldiers who laid down their lives for our motherland. We should be proud of them.
It will be a priority for me to ensure the smooth and speedy implementation of defence deals and projects.
We value our relationship with U.S.A. and are engaged with them at various levels.
Having witnessed first-hand the prowess of the Western Fleet, I am confident that the Indian Navy is fully capable of defending the nation against any form of threat.
