It is impossible to imagine that India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi could be intimidated or forced to take any actions, steps, decisions that are contrary to the national interests of India and the Indian people, Russia's President Vladimir Putin said while addressing the “Russia Calling!” investment forum.
Praising the Indian leader for his independent policy, Putin said "India’s Prime Minister Modi is pursuing tough policy to defend national interests despite external pressure."
"I am just looking at what is happening from the outside, and sometimes, to be honest, I am even surprised by his tough position on defending the national interests of the Indian state," Putin said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also emphasized the importance of increasing settlements in national currencies between Russia and India.
Here are some other highlights from his speech today:
Russia stands for a truly democratic model of global economic development, the Russian president said said.
Western elites trying to slow down the growth of “global periphery”, which they are using as colonies, and have gone so far as to abolish the very principles of market economy;
European jurisdictions, which were considered quiet havens, have ceased to be so; the principle of “friend or foe” operates there, where “strangers” can be robbed;
The actions of the West are destroying the system of economic relations that has been built over decades, and by the West itself;
SWIFT system discredited & becoming archaic, being replaced by payments in national currencies;
Monopoly of large Western banks will be undermined in near future.