India's interests will be primary during arms purchases, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said Sunday, but added he was willing to consider "other issues", when asked about objections from the Left against military deals with Israel.
Parrikar, in Goa on a non-official visit, was speaking to reporters when he was asked about Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Sitaram Yechury's demand that India should stop buying arms from Israel because it was using the money to fund atrocities on Palestinians.
In response, Parrikar said: "I do not know exactly what Yechury said, therefore I will not comment. But my arms procurement will be in the interest of this country. The interests of my country will be primary. After this, if there are other issues, they can be considered... after that."
Yechury, who also addressed the media in Panaji earlier Sunday, demanded that Parrikar should stop arms deals with Israel.
"The defence minister should immediately put an end to the ongoing defence deals with Israel because the same money is being used to attack Palestinians," Yechury said.