India has core belief in respecting sovereignty, peaceful resolution of disputes: PM Modi to WSJ

New Delhi, June 20 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that India has a core belief in respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, observing the rule of law and peaceful resolution of differences and disputes.

In an interview with "Wall Street Journal", prior to his departure for a state visit to the US, Modi said that at the same time, India is fully prepared and committed to
protecting its sovereignty and dignity.

All countries should respect international law and the sovereignty of countries. Disputes should be resolved with "diplomacy and dialogue," not war, he noted.

"Some people say that we are neutral. But we are not neutral. We are on the side of peace," he was quoted as saying.

"The world has full confidence that India's topmost priority is peace," the Prime Minister said in the interview.

Touching upon the UN Security Council member, Modi said that 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.

India will do whatever it can and supports all genuine efforts to bring an end to the conflict and ensure enduring peace and stability, the Prime Minister added.

For normal bilateral ties with China, peace and tranquility in the border areas is essential, he said.

Modi said in the course of the interview that he is the first prime minister to be born in free India, "And that's why my thought process, my conduct, what I say and do, is inspired and influenced by my country's attributes and traditions. I derive my strength from it".

"I present my country to the world as my country is, and myself, as I am," he said.

On India-US relationship, the Prime Minister said in the interview that there is an unprecedented trust between the leaders of the US and India.

"India deserves a much higher, deeper and wider profile and a role," he said.

"We do not see India as supplanting any country. We see this process as India gaining its rightful position in the world," Prime Minister Modi was quoted as saying in the interview.

The world today is more interconnected and interdependent than ever before. To create resilience, there should be more diversification in supply chains, he said.