A week after praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday has now showered praises on Indians calling them as "talented" and "driven" people.
He added that India has much potential with no doubts that it will achieve outstanding results in terms of development, news agency ANI has reported citing Reuters translation of Putin's speech on Friday.
Marking the occasion of Russia's Unity Day on November 4, the Russian president praised India as having much potential.
"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," he said, according to Putin's translated speech originally delivered in Russian.
"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," Putin said.
The Russian President spoke about colonialism in Africa, the potential of India and how Russia has a 'unique civilisation and culture.' Putin said that Western empires had robbed Africa during a speech about Russian and global history.
"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," he said.
Putin said Russia was a "multinational state" and a "multi-confessional state" that had a "unique civilisation and culture." He however also said the country, in a significant way, is part of European culture and linked to the continent by religion, 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."
Last week, Putin hailed PM Modi as a "patriot" who always defended India's interests. "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 ethics. Future belongs to India, it can be proud of the fact that it's the largest democracy in the world," he had said.
He had further added, “Modi is one of those people in the world who is capable of conducting independent foreign policy in the interest of his nation despite any attempts to do some detente or limit something.”
He also went and appreciated India's progress with respect to development from "being a British colony to a modern state".
Putin had also cleared his stance on nuclear attack on Ukraine by saying that it's pointless for Russia to strike Ukraine with nuclear weapons.
“We see no need for that," Putin had said. “There is no point in that, neither political nor military."
(With inputs from agenices)
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