BY ANUBHUTI VISHNOI & DIPANJAN ROY CHAUDHURY , ET BUREAU
NEW DELHI: India declared its commitment to the Paris climate agreement irrespective of what other countries do after President Donald Trump said the US would withdraw from the initiative. The government was also seemingly unfazed by Trump's accusation that India would benefit unfairly from the terms of the accord.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi left no doubt about the country's position during his speech at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Friday, reiterating India's support for the historic agreement.
"Paris or no Paris, our commitment to preserving the climate is for the sake of future generations. I would rather take the side of our future generations," Modi said during an interactive session at the forum. He said he had made the same comment in Germany three days ago when "nobody's comment had come”, an apparent reference to Trump's announcement. "I said it then, I say it now," he added.
Asked by the moderator whether India would side with the US or others on the Paris climate change deal, Modi replied, "It is not a question of which way I go. I will go with the future generations," adding, "We must leave for our future generations a climate wherein they can breathe clean air and have a healthy life."
Earlier, addressing the event, the prime minister said, "India is a responsible nation with regard to climate change... Exploitation of nature is not acceptable to us.
The PM said India had been working to protect the environment for millennia. "For the last 5,000 years, even when I was not born, it has been the tradition in India to protect the environment," Modi said during his address as guest of honour at SPIEF with Russian President and host Vladimir Putin by his side.
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