Narendra Modi’s interview to WSJ: ‘World confident that India’s top-most priority is peace’

“I think India’s position is well known and well understood in the entire world. The world has full confidence that India’s top-most priority is peace,” he added.

India has steered clear of condemning its old ally Russia for the war in Ukraine, and instead has increased its trade with the country to record levels.

“Some people say that we are neutral. But we are not neutral. We are on the side of peace,” Modi told the journal. “All countries should respect international law and the sovereignty of countries.” He made it clear that “disputes should be resolved with diplomacy and dialogue, not war”.

Exuding confidence in the India-US partnership, Modi said: “There is an unprecedented trust” between the leaders of the two countries. He said that the growing defence cooperation between the two countries is “an important pillar” of their partnership which extends to trade, technology and energy.

Modi also underlined that not only “tolerates” but rather “celebrates” its diversity. “For thousands of years, India has been the land where people of all faiths and beliefs have found the freedom to coexist peacefully and prosper,” he said. “You will find people of every faith in the world living in harmony in India.”

In the interaction with the paper, Modi has also called for changes to global institutions like the United Nations to equip them for an increasingly “multipolar world order”, and make them representative of the world’s less-affluent countries.

He expressed India’s desire to be on the UN Security Council. “There has to be an evaluation of the current membership (of the council) and the world should be asked if it wants India to be there,” he said.

On India-China ties, Modi said it can only progress only if there was peace on the border between the two countries. “For normal bilateral ties with China, peace and tranquillity in the border areas is essential,” Modi told the paper.

“We have a core belief in respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, observing the rule of law and peaceful resolution of differences and disputes. At the same time, India is fully prepared and committed to protect its sovereignty and dignity.”

Modi on Tuesday left for his first state visit to the US — seen as a milestone for the bilateral relations, with a focus on deeper cooperation in defence and high technology.