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India will not compromise on national interest amid volatile geopolitical situation: Chouhan
Oct-10-2025

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that India will not compromise on its national interest amid a volatile geopolitical situation where trade and tariffs have become weapons, and asserted that the country must further strengthen food security without relying on global markets. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear that while India believes in being ‘global brother’ and is concerned about the world, the country's interest remains the top priority.

The minister said ‘amid volatile geopolitical situation where nations are fighting with each other, where trade and tariffs are treated as weapons, where nations are ruling the world at their whims.... In such a situation, India has to choose its path. We will not come under pressure of anyone. Protecting our country's interest is our duty and it is necessary for global peace. A responsible country like India should rise.’ He highlighted that 46 per cent of India's population is directly dependent on agriculture for their livelihood, making it crucial to strengthen the sector despite ongoing efforts to reduce this dependency. He said ‘in the current situation, one cannot rely on the global market for food. Therefore, we have to become self-reliant’.

Recalling India's past dependence on American food aid under the PL480 programme, Chouhan said the country has come a long way. He said there were times when a prime minister in the past had to tell people to keep fast once a week. But now, 80 crore people are given free ration and godowns are currently full with rice and wheat. However, he stressed the need to further strengthen agriculture not only for food security but also to ensure farmers' income. The government is working in six key areas, with a focus on raising productivity. He said ‘in rice and wheat, we are at the global average, but in pulses and oilseeds we lag. We should become self-reliant in pulses and edible oils.’

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