While speaking at the Express Adda in Bengaluru on Wednesday, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that she is not worried about domestic issues and things happening within India, but the external uncertainties that may impact the country. Asked what keeps her up during nights, the finance minister said, “It may not be domestic issues, may not be issues relating to supply chain within India, inflation within India, factors which may disrupt within India, input costs within India. But what worries me is how things would change externally– is it the war, not one but two, is it the Red Sea uncertainty or is it going to just end or is it going to fester, the crude oil price, natural gas price, fertiliser price…those are the worries.”
On India’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine war, the finance minister said that without compromising the national interest and without hurting the Indian economy, sound arguments have been placed with each of the countries involved. “I think the personal relationships have worked. While its said that personal relationships don’t work in diplomacy, but yet chemistry works. If leadership has such chemistry with their counterparts, you are able to reason out in favour of your country and that’s where our prime minister has strenuously built up relationships with each of the leaders that at any time he is able to seek time, have a dialogue and explain why he wants a certain thing done in our country’s interest and certainly not hurt anybody else’s interest,” said Nirmala Sitharaman.
Further, talking about Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, the finance minister said that the Modi government has emphasised on system reforms in 10 years and the trend will continue. “India saw larger reforms, greater transparency and zero corruption under Modi govt,” she said.
Earlier, while speaking at the national conclave on Viksit Bharat 2047 organised by FICCI, Nirmala Sitharaman had said that the government will continue with the next-generation economic reforms to make India the third largest economy in the world. “The third term that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will come in will ensure that India reaches in the top three economies in the world. Reforms will touch all areas of factors of production i.e. land, capital and digital infrastructure,” she said.
India will hold general elections in April-May post which, the new government will be formed. BJP is confident that Prime Minister Modi will return to power with a majority.