When Indian economy was growing at the rate of 8 to 9 percent, I think everybody was quite happy. Even when there were defects in our policies, they were overlooked, and when the economy slows down, people try to find fault and excuses. Manmohan Singh Read Quote
My top most priority is to deal with India’s massive social and economic problems, so that chronic poverty, ignorance and disease can be conquered in a reasonably short period of time. Manmohan Singh Read Quote
It is a struggle for the minds of the people… No cause justifies recourse to terrorism. Manmohan Singh Read Quote
Let me say that I think the economic history of the last 150 years clearly shows that if you want to industrialize a country in a short period, let us say 20 years, and you don’t have a well-developed private sector, entrepreneurial class, then central planning is important. Manmohan Singh Read Quote
The Indian economy grew at 5.5 percent, but if you look at the last 30 years – for example, 1960 to 1985 – the progress made by East Asian countries was phenomenal. In a single generation they had been able to transform the character of their economy. They were able to get rid of chronic poverty. Manmohan Singh Read Quote
We got government off the backs of the people of India, particularly off the backs of India’s entrepreneurs. We introduced more competition, both internal competition and external competition. We simplified and rationalized the tax system. We made risk-taking much more attractive. Manmohan Singh Read Quote
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. Manmohan Singh Read Quote
I have always regarded nonalignment as a statement that India’s policies – foreign policy – will be guided by what I describe as ‘enlightened national interest.’ That means we will make judgments on an independent basis with the sole concern being what is enlightened India’s national interest. Manmohan Singh Read Quote
Cutting the fiscal deficit is not popular. That is the experience of all governments in all countries. Expenditure cuts hurt certain vested interests, and they don’t like it. Manmohan Singh Read Quote
President Karzai’s regime is not perfect. There are problems of improving governance. But you cannot transform Afghanistan overnight. It is going to be a long-term affair. Manmohan Singh Read Quote
