Quotes from Nirmala Sitharaman

India lived in hopelessness, as the government was not responsive. It did not know what the poor needed. There was complete policy paralysis. Corruption was rampant, and terrorists used to play havoc in the country.

You can't hold the armed forces responsible for being firm with terrorists. We need to be firm with terrorists.

France has been maintaining a very special relationship with India on defence matters.

I would love to help the textile sector, but at the same time, a big red flag is held by the automotive parts and automotive sector. They don't want to open up to the European Union.

We look at gold from the view of the Indian market, which loves to buy more and more gold.

Nobody has a right to call me or the prime minister a thief and a liar.

The government took a decision to implement 'One Rank, One Pension' for defence personnel in 2015 and promised to pay arrears in four instalments. I can say that all OROP arrears have been cleared, with over Rs 10,788 crore being spent.

The government doesn't go about refuting everything that floats around.

Dassault could not progress in the negotiations with HAL because if the aircraft were to be produced in India, a guarantee for the product to be produced was to be given. It is a big ticket item, and the IAF would want the guarantee for the jets. HAL was in no position to give the guarantee.

Delhi was not completely a new place for me, but as a political worker, it was a new place.

Bringing in timely laws that are the need of the hour requires nimbleness to get through the necessary legislative processes.

WTO is the only multilateral system in which developed and developing countries sit together at par.

Much to my surprise, not a moment have I been made to feel, 'Alright, a woman - probably the prime minister wanted to make a token gesture.' The ease with which people have taken this thought of a woman minister has been a great strength for me and has made my job far easier.

Issues related to investor-state disputes are a matter of serious concern. It is something which we have to apply our minds to.

The narrative related to economics is, I think, very well understood even by the common man.

In a multi-party democracy, many issues which you want - or do not want - will be raised. It is for us to make it relevant or not so relevant with our answers.

Free trade agreements are never for one sector alone.

We want to ensure that food is traded better, farmers get a better price, and consumers are able to access it at affordable prices.

PM Modi's belief in Direct Benefit Transfer was force enough to give the necessary impetus for its efficient implementation.

I am saying this with a certain sense of confidence and not arrogance. The defence ministry is being run without any middleman and in a transparent way. We have proved that defence procurement can happen without middlemen.

Major reforms include optimisation of the Signals establishments, restructuring of repair echelons, redeployment of ordnance echelons, better utilisation of supply and transport echelons, besides closure of military farms, and Army postal establishments in peace locations.

The first thing I have done for the Tejas is that their capacity to annually produce eight aircraft has now been increased to 16. I have doubled it. For which we have given enough support, we have told them that if they need additional space for testing and trials, we are willing to give it.

We should be proud of the soldiers who laid down their lives for our motherland. We should be proud of them.

From the beginning of this century, for a decade as chief minister of Gujarat and for just over four years as India's PM, Modi has made an indelible mark in the annals of our history.