'Our policy would be similar': Rahul Gandhi pulls a surprise, throws weight behind PM Modi

Rahul Gandhi in US: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is on a tour of the United States (US), where he has given several statements on the current political situation in India.

Rahul Gandhi has attacked the central government by making serious allegations like weakening institutions, harassing the opposition and phone tapping.

Although he has kept up a constant string of criticism against the ruling dispensation, Rahul Gandhi seems to agree with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP on one critical issue – India’s foreign policy. More specifically, the traditional bond between India and Russia.

While praising PM Modi on foreign soil on this issue, Rahul Gandhi also justified India’s stand on the Russia-Ukraine war.

Rahul Gandhi was participating in a dialogue program at Stanford University. During this, while replying to a question regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, Rahul Gandhi made it clear that he is with the PM Modi government on this issue.

“We have relations with Russia. We have some dependencies on Russia. That’s why my stand will be similar to that of the Government of India. After all, we have to take care of our interests as well,” the Congress leader said.

“I would respond (to Russia) similarly to what the BJP did. We (Congress) would be responding in a similar way (to the Russia-Ukraine conflict). Because India has that sort of relationship with Russia and that can’t be denied. Our policy would be similar,” he added.

Others cannot decide India’s policy: Rahul Gandhi

Making a strong pitch for an independent foreign policy, Rahul Gandhi said that India must keep its own interest in mind while charting its course in matters of international relations and geopolitics.

“India is a big country and its relations will always be with a large number of countries. We will have better relations with some countries, relations with other countries will develop. It is a balance, but to say that India will not have relations with this group of people is difficult for India to do,” the former Congress president said.

“He said that India is not such a small and self-sufficient country that it should have relations only with one and not with the rest,” he added.

Rahul Gandhi on China

Regarding China, the Congress leader said that the democratic world has failed to come up with a vision to counter the non-democratic China. He stressed on the need to introduce a new system for production and manufacturing, in which the US and India can work together.

Regarding India’s relationship with China in the next 10 years, Rahul Gandhi said, “it is difficult now. I mean they have captured some of our territory. It is not very easy (relationship). India cannot be pushed to the sidelines. it’s not going to happen.”