NEW DELHI -- Water and energy have become critical foreign policy issues for India because the country wants to ensure it has enough resources to boost economic growth, Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh said on Sunday.

Singh told a seminar on what the Indian diaspora could do for the country that diplomacy increasingly demanded a focus on what he called nontraditional security issues like food, energy and water supply.

Singh said Himalayan Glaciers, which are sources of major Indian rivers, had shrunk by about 30 meters over the past two years on account of climate change.

If the trend persisted for another decade, it could result in water shortages in the rivers, he said.

"Water is going to be a critical international issue," Singh said.

Foreign policy had to focus on economic issues, and not be mired in politics, Singh said.

"If we continue to do the same, we would be making a great error," he said.

India, which launched ambitious economic reforms in 1991 to boost efficiency and growth, wants better education, healthcare and infrastructure for its one billion strong population.

Singh said every percentage point rise in national wealth as measured by gross domestic product (GDP) would need three times the same growth in energy supply.

India's GDP growth was estimated at 6.4 percent in 1999/2000 (April-March). The government is aiming to raise GDP growth to a sustainable rate of eight percent per annum. (Reuter)