India Is Talented & Driven, Will Achieve Outstanding Results: Putin Lauds Nation's Potential

Lauding India's potential, Russian President Vladimir Putin that the nation will certainly achieve outstanding results. Previously, he praised PM Narendra Modi's leadership.

New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin has once again praised India saying that the nation has much potential and it will achieve outstanding results in development.

In a speech on Friday, the Russian president said, "India will achieve outstanding results in terms of its development - there are no doubts - and almost one-and-a-half billion people: now that's potential."

The remarks came at an event marking the occasion of Russia's Unity Day celebrated on November 4.

According to news agency Reuters, Putin said: "Let's look at India: a talented, very driven people with such a drive for internal development. It (India) will certainly achieve outstanding results. India will achieve outstanding results in terms of its development. There are no doubts. And almost one-and-a-half billion people. Now that's potential".

Lauding India's potential, he also spoke about colonialism in Africa and how Russia has a 'unique civilisation and culture.'

He stressed that Western empires had robbed Africa. "To a great extent, the level of prosperity that has been achieved in former colonial powers is grounded in the robbery of Africa. Everyone knows that. Yes, actually, and researchers in Europe don't hide this. That's how it is. They say it was built on the grief and suffering of the African peoples to a significant extent - I'm not saying entirely, no - but to a significant extent the prosperity of the colonial powers (was built that way). This is an obvious fact. Robbery, slave trade - of course," Putin said, as quoted by Reuters.

The President meanwhile said that Russia was a "multinational state" and a "multi-confessional state" with "unique civilisation and culture." 

As per Reuters' translation, he said, "Russia is, in a significant way, part of this culture (of the European powers), based on Christianity," but added that "Russia formed as a united major world power... by becoming a major power as a multinational state and a multi-confessional one, too. And it's there that its uniqueness lies. It is truly a unique civilisation and a unique culture".

Previously, Russian President Vladimir Putin had lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his independent foreign policy and said that a lot has been done under his leadership in India.

PM Modi Is A Patriot, A Lot Has Been Done Under His Leadership: Putin

Putin made the remarks in his annual address to the Valdai Discussion Club, a Moscow-based think tank.

"A lot has been done under the leadership of PM Modi. He is a patriot of his country. His idea of 'Make in India' matters both economic wise and in ethics. Future belongs to India, it can be proud of the fact that it's the largest democracy in the world," he said.

"India has made tremendous progress in its development from being a British colony to a modern state. Almost 1.5 billion people and tangible development results give reasons for everyone's respect and admiration for India," he added as he hailed India's development.

Talking about the ties between India and Russia, Putin said, "It has been underpinned by a close ally relationship of many decades. We've never had any difficult issues and supported each other and that's happening right now. I'm sure it'll happen in future."