The Hindu : National : "Nuclear policy has a purely defensive orientation"

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 25, 2006

National

National

"Nuclear policy has a purely defensive orientation"

Special Correspondent

Pranab Mukherjee

NEW DELHI: India changed its policy and developed nuclear deterrence only after powerful nations did not give up their nuclear weapons and its neighbours began taking strides in this direction, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said here on Monday. "However, our nuclear doctrine affirms that India will not resort to first strike and never use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states. Thus, India's nuclear doctrine has a purely defensive orientation," he added while delivering the third Krishna Kant Memorial Lecture on `Democracy and Defence Policy'.

India initially opposed nuclear weapons "tooth and nail" but showed "enough dynamism and flexibility" to change its policy and develop nuclear deterrence in view of global developments, he said at the lecture in memory of the Vice-President of India who died in harness in 2002.

Another example of a flexible defence policy to respond to changes in the international strategic environment is India's willingness to provide adequate military capability to promote international stability and support humanitarian missions after disasters. A recent example was the relief operations after the December 2004 Tsunami.

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