AGE CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI
June 4: President Pratibha Devisingh Patil said in her address on Thursday to a joint session of Parliament that her government would seek to reshape India’s relationship with Pakistan depending on the sincerity of Pakistan’s actions to confront groups who launch terrorist attacks against India from its territory.
Dwelling on foreign policy, Ms Patil said her government would continue to pursue India’s enlightened national interest while maintaining the strategic autonomy and independence of decision-making.
She said: “The momentum of improvement of our relations with the major powers will be maintained. The transformation of our partnership with the United States of America will be taken forward. Our strategic partnership with Russia has grown over the years, and we will seek to further consolidate it. With countries of Europe and Japan my government will continue the sustained diplomatic efforts, which have produced qualitative changes in our relations since 2004. The multi-faceted partnership with China will be expanded.”
On energy security, Ms Patil said the pace of oil and gas exploration would be intensified and India’s oil diplomacy aggressively pursued.
The international civil nuclear agreements would be operationalised with various countries even as domestic sources of uranium are exploited and work continues on the indigenously designed fast breeder and thorium reactors.
India, she said, had a vital interest in the stability and prosperity of her neighbours such as Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Maldives; accordingly, the highest priority would be accorded to working with the Saarc members to promote stability, development and prosperity in the region.
“Government will sincerely work with our neighbours to ensure that outstanding issues are addressed and the full potential of our region is realised,” she elaborated.
The President added that India, as a responsible member of the international community, would work with other countries in tackling issues of common concern such as international terrorism, the global economic crisis, climate change, energy security and reform of multilateral institutions to reflect contemporary realities.
