The Hague (The Netherlands): Assuring foreign investors of continuity in policies and that India will never become an "international liability," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said there was no question of going back on the economic reforms initiated 13 years ago by the then Congress Government.

"There have been three or four general elections but the broad direction of the Governments have been the same. There has been, there is and there will be considerable continuity in the economic policies," he told a gathering of Indian community at a reception hosted in his honour by the Indian Ambassador Shymala Cowsik late last night (Nov 7, 2004).

Despite the competitive politics in India where political parties emphasise differences, there is a great deal of continuity in domestic and foreign policies. There have been change of Governments in the last 13 years but the direction of the reforms that the Congress Government initiated 13 years ago to open up the economy to enlist overseas investment has not changed, he said.

Singh said the target of 6 to 8 per cent annual economic growth was an ambition that could not "be called unattainable but eminently achievable". But, he said, for this the country needs a lot more investment and India "will never become an international liability."

"We will take hard decisions that will make India a great power. It will be taken domestically. I see a increasing role for the Indian community and for overseas community to tap the tremendous opportunities available in the country," he said outlining agro-processing, manufacturing, services and pharmaceuticals as the sectors having the potential.