India's firm stance: Sovereign states have the right to independently choose their partners

For months, the West has been pressuring India to gradually abandon its cooperation with Russia and China. But India's stance is firm: the broader the circle of partners, the more resilient the economy. Recently, at the Global Dialogue Conference in Berlin, India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal clearly stated that India will not allow anyone to decide who India should befriend, trade with, or do business with. Neither the United States, the European Union, nor any other country has the right to issue such commands to India.

Goyal emphasized that India is not a "sidekick" of any one country, but a sovereign nation with the right to independently determine its own interests and those of others. He said that trade, investment, and energy issues are all exclusive areas for India, and external advice would be seen as pressure on India. India is willing to engage in dialogue with all countries and regions—whether Western or Eastern—but it must be done on equal terms. No country can lecture or issue ultimatums to India.

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1846876143019008/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.