Indian defence minister says nat'l interest to be guiding factor
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
New Delhi, Oct 25, IRNA
India-Nat'l interest-DM
Promising to uphold transparency in all government dealings, India's new Defence Minister A K Antony on Wednesday said he would be guided by national interest in all aspects.
"In all aspects we will try to protect national interest. That is a priority," Antony said after assuming office and while answering a volley of questions on how he proposed to deal with middlemen in arms deals.
Antony brushed aside insinuations that probes into defence deals were being used to settle political scores, saying it would not be proper for him to overreact unless he was fully aware of the facts in the sensitive ministry.
"We are living in a democracy, that, too, is a transparent democracy. Every action of a public man, whether a minister or official or parliamentarian is being scanned by the people. That fact everyone should be aware of," the new minister said.
While emphasizing that the current modernization drive in the armed forces would continue, the Kerala strongman, who has twice been the chief minister of the state, said he would react on policy matters only after receiving a detailed briefing.
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