I have a humorous side but these days humour can be a risky thing.
The amount of respect with which I engage Saudi Arabia, I engage Iran with the same amount of respect. The amount of respect with which I speak to America, I speak to Russia with the same amount of respect.
I think that the world that was behind us has gone ahead. We need to run a lot to match that level. So we do not need to calculate. We just need to give it all in. And I have given myself in completely. I've been successful is pulling my entire government in. I believe that India is also committed to moving forward.
The 21st Century should be India's century but from 2004 to 2014 bad ideas and bad actions have affected the country adversely. Every day was a new bad day and there were new scandals. People were furious.
I'm not the "not-working" type. I derive pleasure from my work. Work gives me relaxation too. Every moment I am thinking of something new: making a new plan, new ways to work. In the same way that a scientist draws pleasure from long hours in the laboratory, I draw pleasure in governance, in doing new things and bringing people together. That pleasure is sufficient for me.
I can't leave India helpless. This responsibility must be taken and I will continue to do so. For all good and bad things, it is my responsibility. I do not regret anything. I believe, people of the country have given me the responsibility and I must fulfill it.
The Prime Minister and the Chief Ministers are one team. The Cabinet Ministers and the State Ministers are another team. The Civil Servants at the Centre and the States are yet another team. This is the only way we can successfully develop India.
The biggest thing is that the people of the country have faith. That trust should never break. The public should have faith that this is the government they elected, and it's trying to work for their welfare with honesty and commitment. That's the biggest thing. If I can win the confidence of the people of India - not from my speeches - but by actions, then the power of 1.25 billion Indians will come together to take the country forward.
Any criminal act against any individual or institution in India is to be condemned. The attackers must be strongly punished as per law.
Just because India is a large country, we cannot be arrogant and think that we can ignore others. We live in a different era.
We cannot disrespect the wishes of states.
India doesn't have one problem with China, we have a whole lot of problems pending with China.
My experience is that Delhi behaves the way the leadership defines.
The corridors of power in Delhi were littered with lobbies of various kinds. The task of cleaning the corridors of power (or cleaning the lobby of lobbies) was important so that the government machinery itself is improved. This process of correction and cleaning took quite some time but it will provide long-term benefits in the form of clean and fair governance.
One thing I fail to understand in Delhi is how the same parties which as State Governments seek amendments to the Land Acquisition law, suddenly become opponents of the amendments when they are sitting in Delhi.
The provision of toilets is a minimum requirement for the dignity of our women.
We have to see that all regions of India, particularly the east and west, are brought on par in development parameters.
When opponents keep harping on one point, it is a sure sign of success!
One of the peculiarities of Delhi is that the term 'reform' is associated only with passing of laws in Parliament.
I believe Raghuram Rajan's patriotism is no less than any of ours. As much as I know Raghuram Rajan, whatever post he holds, wherever he is, he is someone who will continue to serve the country.
I would especially like to appeal to my country's media that we should stop looking at everything in India from the prism of Pakistan. India is an independent country. It is a country of 125 crore people. Whenever it approaches any country, it will only be concerned about its own interests. It has been our biggest shortcoming and mistake that we have been tagging ourselves with another country and trying to do things.
I'm fortunate that I was introduced to the world of yoga and pranayama at an early age. That has been very useful to me. I always advise everyone to make this a part of their lives. Sometimes, we notice our mind works on one thing, the body on another, and time brings us in conflict. Yoga synchronizes the heart, the mind, and the body. That is Yoga.
The foreign policy is not about changing mindsets. Foreign policy is about finding the common meeting points.
Respecting religions is not simply a question of universal tolerance; it is a question of believing that all religions are true.
India is a civilization with a history that is thousands of years old.The diversity of India, of our civilization, is actually a thing of beauty, which is something we are extremely proud of.
