Against the backdrop of a row over Sanskrit replacing German in government run schools in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday night said India's secularism is not so weak that it will be "shaken" because of a language and there was a need for having "self-confidence".

Addressing a reception for the Indian community in Berlin, Modi referred to a time decades ago when German radio used to have news bulletin in Sanskrit.

"In India, there was no news bulletin in Sanskrit at that time because perhaps it was thought that secularism would be endangered," the prime minister said.

"India's secularism is not so weak that it will be shaken just because of a language. One should have self-confidence. Self-confidence should not be shaken," he said.

Modi did not elaborate but his veiled comments assume significance as these came months after a row over replacing of German as third language in government-run Kendirya Vidyalaya schools with Sanskrit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed developed nations for questioning India over global warming despite it having the lowest per capita emission of gases and asserted that India will set the agenda for the Climate Change conference to be held in France in September.

"I am surprised that the world is scolding us even though our per capita gas emission is the lowest...," he said while addressing a reception for the Indian community here.

Underlining that preservation of nature was in the customs and tradition of Indians which they have done for ages, Modi said, "The whole world is posing questions to us. Those who have destroyed climate are asking questions to us. If anybody has served the nature, it is Indians."

He asserted that India is "not answerable to the world" and will tell them that "you destroyed nature". Underlining that India should lead the way to deal with climate change, the Prime Minister said, "India will set the agenda for the upcoming Conference of Parties (COP)" meeting to be held in Paris in September.

- Manohar