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Strategic ties not with U.S. alone, says Pranab

KOLKATA: Rebutting criticism of India’s strategic relationship with the U.S., in the backdrop of its civilian nuclear deal with the country, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said here on Sunday that such a relationship “was not with the U.S. alone.”

“We are having strategic relationships with ten countries as well as a strategic partnership with China … India can only have strategic relationships with those countries we feel can help the region’s security environment,” he added.

The divergence of views with the U.S. had “narrowed down with the liberalisation of the [Indian] economy but that does not mean it has distanced us with others like China that is emerging as one of our most important trading partners,” Mr. Mukherjee said, while addressing an interactive session with members of the Bengal Chamber of Commerce.

Earlier, the Minister gave a talk on “The Nuclear Deal: Its implications and advantages for India.”

On how the deal would impact India’s foreign policy, he said: “Of course it is nothing new that somebody [some nation] would like to have India [as a strategic partner] because of its size and [it becoming a] growing economic power. There is nothing unusual, unnatural here. The cardinal point of our foreign policy is to maintain good relations but not at the cost of the national interest.”

“It is not correct that our foreign policy has been compromised by the deal,” Mr. Mukherjee asserted. “Nothing will be compromised … We cannot, at the same time, compromise with our development requirements,” he added.

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