00:00The same arguments which have been used to target India have not been used to, have not been applied to the largest oil importer, which is China.
00:11If the argument is energy, there are bigger buyers. If the argument is who's trading more, there are bigger traders.
00:18If the argument is, by the way, percentage of increase.
00:22Now, yes, some countries haven't increased the percentage because they've gone and bought oil from Iran.
00:27To which also the Americans have objections.
00:32We have at this moment three issues.
00:37First of all, trade.
00:39And I think in my mind, that's really the major, major issue in terms of the negotiations which are underway.
00:52And, you know, negotiations are still going on.
00:58But the bottom line is, you know, we have some red lines.
01:02You say negotiations are still going on because we heard the team is not coming.
01:05No, look, I mean, negotiations are still going on in the sense that nobody said the negotiations are off.
01:11You know, I mean, and people do talk to each other.
01:17I mean, it's not like there's a kutti there.
01:22So, look, there is a, there is a, what happens is, we have red lines.
01:30In the negotiations, we have to be clear as to, you know, red lines by definition are lines to be maintained and defended.
01:42Keeping that in mind, see what we get.
01:47And, frankly, where we are concerned, the red lines are primarily the interests of our farmers and to some extent of our small producers.
01:57So, when people pronounce that we have succeeded or failed or, you know, where are you, the bottom line is, my counter question is, we as a government are committed to defend the interests of our farmers and our small producers.
02:12We are very determined on that.
02:14That's not something which we can compromise on.
02:17So, anybody who thinks that, you know, who criticizes what we are doing, my counter question is, are you therefore willing to compromise on those interests?
02:27Because I'm not.
02:29The second issue, you know, in a way is being presented as an oil issue.
02:35But why I say it's being presented is because the same arguments which have been used to target India have not been used to, have not been applied to the largest oil importer, which is China, has not been applied to the largest LNG importer, which is the European Union.
02:56And, you know, when people say we are funding the war or putting money in the coffers of Putin, India, European Union trade is bigger than India-Russia trade.
03:10So, is American money not, European money not putting coffers, putting money into Putin's coffers?
03:17So, and if you look even at trade, look at countries who…
03:21You say they are getting more from Europe than from us, is that the point?
03:24The overall India-Russia-EU trade is bigger than Russia-India trade.
03:32So, my point is, look, if the argument is energy, there are bigger buyers.
03:38If the argument is who's trading more, there are bigger traders.
03:42If the argument is, by the way, percentage of increase.
03:45Now, yes, some countries haven't increased the percentage because they've gone and bought oil from Iran.
03:51To which also the Americans have objections.
03:56So, my point, look, there is a certain inconsistency here.
04:01And if you look even at exports, I mean, India's exports to Russia have grown, but not that much.
04:09I can think of some other countries whose exports have grown dramatically after 2022.
04:13And if our exports have suddenly surged, you know what that means.
04:17You won't name those countries?
04:19I think, go look at the trade statistics, it's pretty obvious.
04:22So, here's my point.
04:25At the end of it all, I think there is an issue of decisions which we make in our national interest.
04:33That's our right.
04:34So, in my business, we would say, that's what strategic autonomy is about.
04:41And the third issue pertains to our own region, which is the issue of mediating.
04:48You know, since 1970s, for more than 50 years now, there's a national consensus in this country
04:55that we do not accept mediation in our relations with Pakistan.
04:58So, here's my point.
05:00When it comes to the trade rate, the interests of farmers, when it comes to our strategic autonomy,
05:06when it comes to opposition to mediation, this government is very clear.
05:12Our positions are there.
05:13If anybody disagrees with us, please tell the people of India that you're not prepared to defend the interests of farmers.
05:20Please tell the people of India you don't value strategic autonomy.
05:23We do.
05:24We do.
05:25We will do whatever we have to do to maintain it.
05:28We will do.
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