By NNN-FNA,
Abu Dhabi : Indian Minister of External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee Tuesday reiterated India’s policy of non-violence over Iran’s nuclear programme, saying that India will not support any threats of violence against Iran over its nuclear programme.
Delivering a speech on “India’s Foreign Policy and India-Persian Gulf Relations, Meeting the Challenges of 21st Century” at the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research, Mukherjee said that the most effective platform to address Iran’s nuclear standoff with the West was the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
“We strongly support the need of dialogue between Iran and IAEA,” the minister stressed.
“Persian Gulf Countries are now adopting a ‘Look East’ policy by looking beyond their traditional investment partners in the West. Given the Persian Gulf’s vast oil reserves and geographical proximity, Persian Gulf and India will remain long partners in energy sector but the challenge is to transform the present buyer-seller relationship into something more substantial and enduring, covering all economic sectors, including energy to education and health,” he said.
Describing energy security and development of infrastructure as two important prerequisites for economic growth, Mukherjee said that India needed $500 billion in resources to meet specific targets for infrastructure development and to expand its electricity production.
“Here Persian Gulf countries have a major role to play,” he said.
Explaining India’s policy on Iraq, the Indian minister said, “We wish to see Iraqi people freely determine their own political future and exercise control over their natural resources.”