Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday said that in today’s world, countries that engage in “dadagiri” (bullying) are able to do so because they possess strong economies and advanced technology. His remarks, reported by PTI, came while delivering a lecture at Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT) in Nagpur.
Gadkari highlighted the importance of boosting India’s exports and reducing imports to strengthen the nation’s economic position. “If the rate of our exports and economy increase, then I don’t think we will need to go to anyone. Those who are indulging in `dadagiri’ are doing so because they are economically strong, and they have technology. If we get better technology and resources, we will not bully anyone, because our culture teaches us that welfare of the world is most important,” he said.
Science and Technology as the Solution
The minister emphasised that the answer to many global challenges lies in science, technology, and knowledge. “We are facing various problems globally, and the solution to all these problems are science and technology, that is knowledge, which is a power,” he noted.
Gadkari also underlined that reducing imports and increasing exports is vital if India aspires to become a vishwaguru (global leader).
Remarks Amid US-India Trade Tensions
His comments came at a time of heightened tensions between India and the United States over recent trade measures by US President Donald Trump. Last week, Trump announced an additional 25% tariff on US imports from India, pushing the total duty to 50%. This move was presented as a penalty for India’s continued imports of Russian oil.
Over the past few days, Trump has criticised both India and Russia over their trade and energy ties, pressuring New Delhi to scale back Russian oil purchases.
India Defends Its Position
India has defended its right to buy energy from Russia, criticising the US and EU for targeting New Delhi while other nations buying Russian energy face no similar penalties. Officials also pointed out that the US itself continues to import uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear sector, palladium for electric vehicle manufacturing, fertilisers, and chemicals from Russia.
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