The Prime Minister: The economy is not as healthy as it should be. All the problems are more acute, but if anybody thinks we are going under with this they are mistaken, because the Indian people have learnt, or just through sheer experience, they have the endurance of bearing enormous burdens. I think the capacity of man to suffer is limitless, and when there is a cause, such as the integrity and stability of the country, this quality, this endurance comes to the force.
Question: Could we just look briefly at India's foreign policy? The Soviet-India Peace Treaty. I this, worried some people in this country, because India, of course, has always been known as a non-aligned country and some people have felt that non-alignment and peace treaty with Russia are not compatible.
The Prime Minister: But only those people have felt so who anyhow were against non-alignment and who did not approve of it. This Treaty has not affected non-alignment in any possible way. We retain our freedom to make our own decision and take our own action.
Question: India has said that she wants to improve relationship with China. Now surely signing a peace Treaty with Russia is not going to help you to improve your relations with China.
The Prime Minister: Why not? Perhaps you have seen what Mr. Chou En-lai said. He said it would make no difference.
Question: And you are not worried about the Pakistani situation-your relationship with China either.
The Prime Minister: No.
Question: What about the United Nations? India has always supported China’s entry into the United Nations. Do you feel that now that China is there, the United Nations is going to function more efficiently or less efficiently?
The Prime Minister:' I think that is hardly a fair question. I really do not know how it is going to function. Only the future can tell. There is no reason why it should be less efficient. You can say it may take another direction.
'Question: Now could we turn finally to aid and trade. President Nixon announced a package decision to protect the dollar, and only at the weekend we bear the Senate’s decision on the Aid Bill. Are you concerned about these general signs of American isolationism and the possible effect of it on trade and a trade war building up?
The Prime Minister: Naturally it will affect our economy, but these are matters for the Americans to decide and we just have to adjust to whatever they do. But there is one fact, which is, that in the last year the whole nature of these loans has been such that, whatever we get, almost seven-eighths of it is used in repayments, so that we don’t get very much anyhow.
Question: I know that India has taken a particularly strong line on the fact that the recent discussions on the international monetary system have appeared to ignore the
