New Delhi, April 8
India has categorically rejected the US suggestion to define its credible minimum nuclear deterrent emphasising that it has no responsibility to make any such declaration.
Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran made it clear that "what India's nuclear credible deterrent will be is for India to decide." On various occasions, New Delhi had drawn Washington's pointed attention to this factor.
He stressed there was no responsibility for India to declare what its minimum deterrent was.
The visiting US Under Secretary of State Richard Boucher had stated after his discussions with the officials of the Ministry of External Affairs yesterday that India should further define its minimum nuclear deterrent as it was absolutely necessary for decreasing tension in Asia.
Emphasising that Mr Boucher had not raised this issue with him, Mr Saran told NDTV: "We have a strategic dialogue with the US where we have agreed to exchange views on our respective nuclear doctrines as well as issues like missile defence."
On the Bush administration's contention that it was pushing India and Pakistan for a moratorium on missile tests, the Foreign Secretary contended New Delhi's position was that it will work with Washington in the conference of disarmament in
Geneva on a multilateral Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT).India has been an active participant in these negotiations and "we are prepared to take part in it," Mr Saran observed. He was quick to point out that the FMCT India is talking about is a multilateral instrument.
Asked about the impact if the Nuclear Deal falls through in the American Congress, Mr Saran noted given the kind of expectations built up, there will be some disappointment. "There will be some sense of lowered expectations which will have an impact on Indo-US relations."
Meanwhile, the official spokesperson of the External Affairs Ministry said today that credible minimum deterrent was a self explanatory term that required no
further elucidation. "It reflects our response to a dynamic and changing security environment. We note that at the recent Congressional hearing, US Secretary of State Rice herself noted that the Indian strategic programme is more a factor of the military and political factors which India confronts."
The spokesperson was responding to a question about Mr Boucher's statement where the US Under Secretary of State was quoted as stating: "We have pushed for India to further define its minimum credible deterrent."
