Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said Russia president Vladimir Putin is right in observing that India's leadership is self-directed. India became self-directed right from the moment of Independence and as India always considered this autonomy as important, Jawaharlal Nehru never joined any blocs, Tharoor said.
Putin praised PM Modi's leadership and said India is directed by the country's national interests. Slamming the West for trying to admonish everyone who does not toe their line, Putin said they tried to do the same with India also. "Now they are flirting, of course. We all understand this very well. We feel and see the situation in Asia. Everything is clear. I want to say that the Indian leadership is self-directed. It is led by the national interests. I think that those attempts make no sense. But, they continue. They are trying to cast Arabs as the enemy. They are trying to be careful, but overall, that's what it all boils down to," Putin said.
India is a powerful country and is growing stronger under PM Modi's leadership, Putin said adding that countries like Brazil, India and South Africa deserve greater representation at the UN. India is a giant in the world and India's high-tech exports are growing exponentially.
{{/usCountry}}India is a powerful country and is growing stronger under PM Modi's leadership, Putin said adding that countries like Brazil, India and South Africa deserve greater representation at the UN. India is a giant in the world and India's high-tech exports are growing exponentially.
{{/usCountry}}Reacting to Putin's praise for PM Modi, Tharoor said, "We are a self-directed nation. It was very important right from the moment of Independence that we should have the autonomy to make our own decisions. That’s why Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru refused to join any of the blocs during the Cold War. For us, being ourselves and directing ourselves, was what Independence all about."