[Urbanization] is the inevitable outcome of the processes of growth and the processes of modernization.

Nowhere else you will find a country of India's diversity, of India's complexity, one billion people trying to seek their social and economic salvation in the framework of democracy, in the framework of an open economy.

I believe a large part of humanity will draw appropriate lessons from what is the wave of the future in the 21st century.

I believe whether it is the United States or Europe, they will all end up as multicultural societies.

The salvation of the world ultimately lies in moving towards universal nuclear disarmament, but that's a long distance away.

India has remained a full, functioning democracy.

India is a functioning democracy despite its extreme poverty, India has stayed the course.

Indians, we would like to be a part of the nuclear world order, accepting all the responsibilities that go with being a responsible nuclear power, and at the same time enlarging our options with regard to energy security of our country.

I look upon India-U.S. nuclear cooperation as an act of historic reconciliation.

India has, of course, aspirations of getting out of its poverty, ignorance, and disease which still afflict millions of people. But I do believe that we have something to offer to the rest of the world, including the United States.

Agribusiness and food processing are important parts of modernizing our economy, of modernizing our agriculture and moving into a phase where a more modernized agriculture helps not only farmers but also helps consumers.

In a world in which technology is changing at such a fast pace, where demand conditions change very fast, we need to look at a more innovative mechanism to cut down on this rigmarole of many tiers of decision-making processes.

I do recognize that India has to be the center, the hub of activity as far as the knowledge economy is concerned.

I think, overall, India is today on the move. The economic reforms that our salvation lies in - operating an open society, political system, an open economy, economic system - this has widespread support.

We all know the epicentre of terrorism in the world today is Pakistan. The world community has to come to grips with this harsh reality.

All necessary steps needed to be taken to tackle terrorism will be adopted...but we will keep in mind that a particular religion or section of society does not face problems unnecessary

Protectionism is a very real danger. It is understandable that in times of a severe downturn protectionist pressures mount but the lessons of history are clear. If we give in to protectionist pressures, we will only send the world into a downward spiral.

As the largest and most developed democracies of Asia (India and Japan), we have a mutual stake in each other's progress and prosperity.

Protectionism has to be avoided. Protectionism is not only on goods but also in the area of services. Financial protectionism is also bad and should be avoided.