10 things Modi revealed in an interview with Arnab Goswami

From India's NSG bid to relations with Pakistan, and Subramanian's Swamy's attacks on RBI governor Raghuram Rajan - Prime Minister Modi spoke about a host of issues in an interview with Times Now's Arnab Goswami.

This was Modi's first interview to a private news channel after coming to power in 2014.

Here are the top ten highlights from the interview:

1. Corruption

There are many things which are not visible. One can't imagine the difficulty I am experiencing in taking out things from dirt. One who is working there knows the amount of dirt that exists and how certain things have been caught in a web. There are certain powers behind it.

The case about Agusta helicopters. I can't deny it and I believe that we have the right to doubt that people behind this are very experienced. They have perfectly practiced the art of doing wrong deeds. They are very experienced and knowledgeable.

And one can also smell the fact that such a thing wouldn't have been done without a shield. Now, agencies are probing. Let's see how far the probe goes. But the investigation shouldn't go ahead while people are being targeted, neither does my government target anyone.

The sin has been committed, but how much is done - how was it done, who did it  - is for probe agencies to find out in a professional way. Whatever comes out, will be put out.

2. Raghuram Rajan and Subramanian Swamy

"My experience with him [Rajan] has been good and I appreciate the work that he has done. He is no less patriotic. He loves India. Wherever he will work, he will work for India and he is patriotic. Whether it is in my party or not, still I think such things are inappropriate. This fondness for publicity is never going to do any good to the nation. People should conduct themselves with utmost responsibility. If anybody considers himself above the system, it is wrong."

3. Government's challenges

There is an attempt to bring about change in everything. I am very satisfied that there is no disappointment now when it comes to India and Indians. 

This is not a post for me, it’s my work. I have said that this government will be dedicated to poor. Delhi was new for me, atmosphere was new, the whole running of government was new. Despite that, in such less time, the way the nation has progressed, not just in one aspect, pick up on any aspect and compare it to the previous government, we have left no issue untouched.

4. Government's economic agenda

The poor is the central focus of my economic agenda. The poor should be strengthened in such a way that they get the willingness to defeat poverty. By helping the poor make ends meet while they remain in poverty is also one of the ways .

All my schemes are meant to empower the poor and change the quality of life.

5. India's NSG membership bid

Every government has made an effort. It's not that only this government is trying, it's in continuity. But it's during our tenure that we achieved SCO membership, we also got the MTCR membership.

I have full faith that now we have begun a coordinated effort for the NSG membership too.

The process has begun on a positive note. Everything has rules and will work accordingly and move forward.

6. Defaulters leaving the country

Law will catch up with them. The people of India have the confidence that if someone who can do this, it is Narendra Modi and he will do it. Citizens have full confidence. I take this as an opportunity and I will show them what the law is.

7. Opposition parties and the Congress

...To defame the Opposition by saying that all opposition parties are against us - when some people do this, it is wrong. There is one party which has problems. And the whole world knows that party.

Those who have been in power for so many years, shouldn't be doing this. If there is a new party in the Opposition, they have a small demand for their state or if an MP has a demand for his/her constituency and does something like this, then we can understand.

The ones who have been in power for very long, shouldn't be doing such things [stalling Parliament].

8. Pakistan and terrorism

The first thing is that with Pakistan, to whom do we talk to decide about the lakshman-rekha. Will it be with the elected government or with other actors?

That is why India will have to be on alert all the time. India will have to be alert every moment. There can never be any laxity in this.

But there is an outcome due to my continuous efforts like my visit to Lahore and my invitation to the Pakistani Prime Minister to come to India. Now I don't have to explain to the world about India's position.

Earlier the world would not buy India’s theory on terrorism and sometime it would even treat it as out law and order problem. Now the whole world is accepting what India says on terrorism. It is accepting the loss caused to India by terorrism, the loss caused to humanity by terrorism.

I believe India will have to continue putting forth its view on this matter.

9. Black money

Even today I can say...that yes, when there is money stashed in foreign accounts, there are some norms of engagement with foreign countries on the issue. But between 2011-2014, these people were given the opportunity to launder money here and there.

After our government was formed, the first decision taken by our cabinet was to form a Special Investigation Team to bring back Black Money which was pending despite Supreme Court's 2011 order. This shows our sincerity.

From then on, you can't imagine how stringent the laws have been made to bring back black money and whoever comes in its fold will know how strict the law is.

Thirdly, I attended the G20 Summit. Never was black money issue discussed before in the G20 forum. It was my first G20 summit, for the first time I met the world leaders. And for the first time in the G20 Summit, one paragraph was on unaccounted money, on black money and 20 countries said that the world should cooperate.

10. Humour

I have a humourous side but these days humour can be a risky thing.

In this era of 24/7 news channels, anybody can lift a small word and make a big issue out of it. But I will tell you the truth, the reason for the absence of humour in public life is this fear.

I am in fear, there is no humour left in public life because of this fear. Everyone is scared. I am in fear.

My speeches used be humourous. I see it in Parliament, that humour is finished there too. It is a matter of concern.