Quotes from Nirmala Sitharaman

I will be the defence minister round-the-clock.

It is the duty of the Defence Ministry and the forces to keep India safe.

Obviously, defence is very sensitive and very challenging ministry.

With South East Asian nations, ASEAN countries, with some of them, we do have defence cooperation, and we continue with them.

It will be a priority for me to ensure the smooth and speedy implementation of defence deals and projects.

DRDO should introspect to make themselves more nimble towards innovation.

The language of any joint statement between two countries is mulled over many times before it becomes final.

Rupee fluctuation is not so significant compared with the other currencies. Fluctuations in currencies has been fairly steady. As the finance minister often says, fluctuation is the new normal.

Unlike some of our neighbours, India does not believe in dirty bombs. We take non-proliferation very seriously.

For a country like India, which, unlike China, has domestic market for which manufacturing happens, manufacturing also happens for export.

PM Modi believes in detailed planning through extensive consultation. He is an example as a listener - no interruptions, no urgent phone calls, no distractions; he absorbs every input. He doesn't hesitate to say he needs more inputs, another round of briefing, or more time to mull over.

Most of the expressions we use in economics are relative terms. All of us are votaries of free trade.

The strategy of any party would be to see how best it can defeat the party in power.

Our manufacturing in India has grown with a lot of indigenous strength.

In defence, 'Make in India' is happening in a big way, and it is not happening without orders coming from the ministry.

Shouldn't India, too, like other countries, protect its national interests?

We have heard the Chinese refer to the Shangri-La Dialogue speech at various points. You have a lot of articulations about the top leadership itself about what is the spirit of India-China relations. There is a very clear understanding between the two countries about the defence relationship.

Since when has the Congress become protector of judiciary? Do I have to remind how Indira Gandhi treat the judiciary when one verdict went against them? Rajeev Gandhi in 1988 almost brought the bill, and during that phase, how many cases were filed against the media? And their son and grandson is talking about press freedom.

A new procurement policy had to be brought in 2016. Subsequent to it, procurement has gone up rapidly.

People have realised that for want of anything substantial, the Congress is using Rafale to question the government. But people are not responding or reacting positively to them. They've had enough of this muck-raking.

On shipbuilding, on submarine building, warship building, coastal surveillance or small vessel building, we have both public and private sector. The capacities have really been scaled up, and the skill sets, hi-tech skill sets, have been acquired.

In India, elections happen every year in at least a few states.

We value our relationship with U.S.A. and are engaged with them at various levels.