In Delhi, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor reacted cautiously to Rahul Gandhi’s claim that the government discourages Opposition meetings with foreign dignitaries. Tharoor refrained from taking a clear stand but insisted the Centre must answer and clarify its approach amid Putin’s high-profile India visit.
00:00I think this is an important visit. I think for our country, there is no doubt that there are very important bilateral relationships to be maintained with Russia, with China, with America.
00:22And we cannot accept a proposition that says that any one relationship has to be determined by the nature of another relationship.
00:30We should have the sovereign autonomy to actually decide the terms of our own engagement with each country.
00:37And it's in that spirit, I believe, that we have maintained good relations with Russia, with America, and with China.
00:43At different times, there are different emphases.
00:45But I would say that my understanding is a lot of talks have already taken place at the expert level to work out some possible agreements that might be signed when President Putin is here.
00:55And that would be very valuable for us.
00:57I mean, we have a lot of issues, after all, with Russia.
01:01We've been a major importer of oil and gas from there, but that is coming down.
01:06But that's not the only element of our relationship.
01:09The number of other contributions, defense cooperation has been very important.
01:13We already saw the utility of the S-400 air defense system during the Operation Sindhur.
01:19There's now discussion of more S-400, maybe S-500.
01:23I don't know what's going on.
01:23I'm not privy to these conversations.
01:26But there is obviously defense thing.
01:28There's some talk about possibility of mobility agreement for our workers.
01:32We don't want situations where our people go for one thing and end up being press-ganged into the army.
01:36There should be some formal agreement about how these things happen.
01:39So I think there's no doubt that there is a lot to be discussed.
01:43And I'm convinced that our Prime Minister and President Putin will have very good conversations.
01:47So let's see what comes out.
01:48But do you think that their government should respond to the claim made by the leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi that he's not allowed?
01:55That's above my pay grade.
01:57I think it's an important issue in a democracy.
01:59We should welcome dialogue with everybody.
02:01But that is, as I said, not frankly for me to say.
02:04I think the LOP has made his point.
02:07And I think the government should respond.
02:08I think this is an important visit.
02:23I think for our country, there is no doubt that there are very important bilateral relationships to be maintained with Russia, with China, with America.
02:31And we cannot accept a proposition that says that any one relationship has to be determined by the nature of another relationship.
02:39We should have the sovereign autonomy to actually decide the terms of our own engagement with each country.
02:45And it's in that spirit, I believe, that we have maintained good relations with Russia, with America, and with China.
02:52At different times, there are different emphases.
02:54But I would say that my understanding is a lot of talks have already taken place at the expert level to work out some possible agreements that might be signed when President Putin is here.
03:04And that would be very valuable for us.
03:05I mean, we have a lot of issues, after all, with Russia.
03:10We've been a major importer of oil and gas from there.
03:13But that is coming down.
03:14But that's not the only element of our relationship.
03:17The number of other contributions, defense cooperation, has been very important.
03:22We already saw the utility of the S-400 air defense system during the Operation Sindhur.
03:28There's now discussion of more S-400, maybe S-500.
03:31I don't know what's going on.
03:32I'm not privy to these conversations.
03:34But there is obviously a defense thing.
03:36There's some talk about possibility of mobility agreement for our workers.
03:40We don't want situations where our people go for one thing and end up being press-ganged into the army.
03:45There should be some formal agreement about how these things happen.
03:48So I think there's no doubt that there is a lot to be discussed.
03:51And I'm convinced that our Prime Minister and President Putin will have very good conversations.
03:56So let's see what comes out.
03:57But do you think that the government should respond to the claim made by the leader of opposition, Rahul Gandhi, that he is being loud and loud?
04:04That's above my pay grade.
04:05I think it's an important issue in a democracy.
04:08We should welcome dialogue with everybody.
04:09But that is, as I said, not frankly for me to say.
04:12I think the LOP has made his point and I think the government should respond.
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