We are a mixed economy. We will remain a mixed economy. The public and private sector will continue to play a very important role. The private sector in our country has very ample scope and I am confident that India's entrepreneurs have the capacity, and the will to rise to the occasion.

She propounded the left wing interpretation of Keynes maintaining that the state has to play more of a role if you really want to combine development with social equity. A renowned economist he is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term and the first Sikh to hold the office. She questioned me a great deal and made me think the unthinkable.

Although India's economy grew rapidly under UPA I its security was threatened by several terrorist incidents (culminating in the 2008 Mumbai attacks) and a growing Maoist insurgency. In 2008 opposition to a historic civil nuclear agreement with the United States nearly caused Singh's government to fall after Left Front parties withdrew their support. In 2004 when the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) came to power its chairperson Sonia Gandhi unexpectedly relinquiManmohan Singhd the premiership to Manmohan Singh.