Former UK PM David Cameron in conversation with NewsNCR Group CEO Barun Das during the Global Summit held at Taj Palace Hotel in New Delhi.
What India Thinks Today: During a discussion with Barun Das, Cameron spoke on a range of topics, the main one being Russia – the former prime minister calling President Vladimir Putin ‘a mass murderer’.
Former United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron on Saturday said the coming decades could belong to India as the country emerges as a major economy contributing to global growth. He said this in a conversation with NewsNCR Group CEO Barun Das during What India Thinks Today, the global summit of NewsNCR network held at Taj Palace Hotel in New Delhi.
Cameron said the country had gone through “a fundamental fundamental shift” due to the improved economic performance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Cameron told Barun Das, ‘PM Modi has taken forward structural reforms in India. With GST, unique digital identity, better payment system and strong statements, they have been able to bring about a real change which is clearly visible on the ground.
‘Digital infrastructure reflects PM Modi’s work’
The former UK PM said that PM Modi’s work is reflected in the strong digital infrastructure and the new unicorns being built in India during his tenure. He said, ‘India is the largest democracy and Britain is the oldest.’ We should understand the power of democracy. The UK is a multi-cultural society. Democracy is about the rule of law and rights of minorities. Democracy cannot be confined to elections. Britain and India must work together against countries that do not believe in democratic principles.
Cameron also said that populist principles alone do not solve problems, but they serve to further inflame public opinion. He said, ‘Globalization has brought people out of poverty but still many people are left behind. The populist theory in politics reflects this sentiment. We need to work hard to ensure that those who have been left behind join the mainstream again.
Cameron also commented on the subject of UN reform and said, “India deserves to be a permanent member of the UN Security Council.” He acknowledged that some countries do not want reforms and want to maintain the status quo.
Cameron blames Putin for the war
During his discussions with Barun Das, Cameron spoke on a range of topics, the main one being Russia – the former prime minister calling President Vladimir Putin “a mass murderer”. Cameron blamed President Putin completely for the war in Ukraine. Cameron said, ‘They invaded Ukraine. He is killing innocent people. It is appalling.’ He said, ‘Russia is continuously bombing Ukraine. In such a situation, to compete with Russia, we must give the people of Ukraine what they need. Cameron emphasized that the world “needs to keep the pressure on Russia”.
When Barun Das asked how he tried to establish a working relationship with Putin when he was prime minister, the former prime minister replied, “It is your job to have a working relationship as the prime minister of the country.” But today Putin has become far more dangerous, irrational and aggressive. They are seen against democratic values. They are unpredictable as well as destabilizing things. Western countries thought that Putin would not attack the whole of Ukraine, but he demonstrated his irrationality and made it clear how dangerous he was. We cannot let Putin win under any circumstances.
Big talk on India-UK relations
Cameron’s approach to relations between India and Britain was also one of the other prominent points during the discussion. He reminded that there are three cabinet ministers of Indian origin in Britain. He further said, ‘I feel happy when I see people in India driving Range Rovers and Jaguars. These are British brands owned and operated by Indian companies.
On the current British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s move to help developing countries less than before, Cameron was of the opinion that China is filling those gaps due to this move. ‘We should help poor countries. They should take help from democratic countries and not from those who do not believe in it.
On the recent Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II as Queen, Cameron described her as “the world’s greatest public servant” and said it was a unique experience and privilege to meet her. He shrugged off questions on the possibility of his return to active politics, saying, “People in the UK like to see new things, not old ones.”
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