NEW DELHI: Asserting that India was not "kowtowing" to the United States, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said engagement with the U.S. did not mean that the country was surrendering its national interest.

"It is in our national interest to engage with the U.S., which is a superpower. It thinks globally and acts globally. But we state our position. Last July while visiting Washington, I said that [the] invasion of Iraq was a great mistake," Dr. Singh told the Rajya Sabha.

"Any notion that the new nuclear deal we have with the U.S. amounts to surrender of our independent thinking and autonomous decision-making process is totally misplaced," he said replying to a discussion on the working of the External Affairs Ministry.

"Not apologetic"

Urging the members to judge the United Progressive Alliance Government (UPA) by the "totality of results achieved by us and not by [the] changes that have come about," Dr. Singh said the Government was not "apologetic" about forging new relations with the U.S. that provided more space and greater elbow room for economic development and ensuring energy security.

The Prime Minister's assertions were aimed at rejecting the criticism by the Opposition as well as the UPA Government's Left allies of the new-found closeness with the U.S.

India's independent foreign policy was rooted in the pursuit of enlightened national interest. Since the time of Pandit Nehru, India had laid stress on evolving its policies in the "dynamic world" but the fundamental objective remained grappling with poverty and disease, which afflicted millions of its citizens. "We still have miles to go. Our foreign policy should also help in [the] removal of poverty in [the] shortest possible time; if [the] international environment supports us, we must take advantage of it."

Economic growth

The economic growth rate was seven to eight per cent, and it was feasible to take it to 10 per cent with some more support and foreign capital. The U.S., the European Union, Russia, Japan and China were willing to "absorb our exports and give space for larger import of new technologies."

Dispelling fears of India associating itself with any move at regime change in the region, Dr. Singh emphasised: "Certainly, we are not part and parcel of any attempt to change regime."

Though it was a discussion sponsored by the Opposition, its benches remained by and large unoccupied during Dr. Singh's 45-minute reply.

The Prime Minister said India's relations with the U.S., Russia, China and France had improved a great deal during the past two years of the UPA regime. On India-China relations, he expressed the hope that a solution to the "difficult" boundary issue would emerge. Chinese President Hu Jintao would visit the country later this year.

Assuring the members that the Government was pursuing a "pro-active role" with India's neighbours for a prosperous, inter-connected South Asia, Dr. Singh said Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia would visit India later this month. The two countries would have candid discussions on bilateral issues.

Dialogue with Pakistan

On ties with Pakistan, he said the two countries were committed to resolving all issues, including Kashmir, through dialogue. "Provocation by terrorists is not going to weaken our resolve to improve our relations with Pakistan or deal with anyone who brings harm to our secular fabric."

On the recent visit of President Abdul Kalam to Myanmar — some members pointed out the house arrest of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi by the military junta — the Prime Minister said India supported dialogue and political reform in that country. "We have expressed our views to the authorities in Myanmar without fear and mixing any metaphor. We have sympathy for Suu Kyi and hope for her well-being. But that does not mean that we should not engage with Myanmar. Insurgents in our northeastern region often operate from the territory of that country; Myanmar has taken action against insurgent groups. But we are not supporting repressive measures in Myanmar."

On Nepal, he said there was no question of the Government arranging any meeting with the Maoists "in our territory but we have to see that [the] impact in India from Nepal is minimised."

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