New Delhi, September 20
Quelling all doubts over country’s nuclear abilities, National Security Advisor MK Narayanan has emphasised that India has thermonuclear capabilities, adding that the scientists who questioned the success of the 1998 nuclear tests in Pokhran had personal motives to do so.
“India has thermonuclear capabilities. I am absolutely sure. Even if we are hit, we will have enough to be able to deliver something,” said Narayanan during a television interview, which would go on air on Monday night. This is for the first time a government official has made a public statement on the issue after the recent controversy.
He also dismissed the claims of a former DRDO scientist K Santhanam, who had alleged that the test had “fizzled out.”
“The thermonuclear device had a yield of 45 kilotons. I have chosen my words carefully -- 45 kilotons and nobody... including Santhanam, who has absolutely no idea what he is talking about... knows, for that matter any one else can contest what is a proven fact by the data which is there,” said the NSA, adding that the capabilities have been verified by a peer group of researchers.
He said the Atomic Energy Commission had last week given the ‘most authoritative’ statement on the efficacy of the 1998 nuclear tests and no more clarification was required from the government.
Narayanan said that the AEC, the highest body in such matters, was asked to study the data of the tests once again in the wake of the controversy over the efficacy of the hydrogen bomb following the statements of Santhanam. Narayanan said Santhanam was not privy to the information on which the test measurements were taken. “As the NSA, I know what the DRDO is supposed to do and what it knows. I think he is not merely exaggerating, I think he is talking something which is horrific,” he said. The NSA indicated that the sudden statements by Santhanam and other senior nuclear scientists could be a result of personal rivalries within the scientific community.
He said there was no need for a public debate on the issue as it required to have a clear idea of the explosive ballistics, neutron physics, material sciences and computer simulation. The NSA said he was aware of reports that Pakistan had increased its nuclear arsenal. He stated that India would suitably respond and do whatever is required in national interest to increase the nuclear deterrence. “The fact that a country not friendly is building up its arsenal is a concern... We will do what we have to do.”
He clarified that India has no intention of altering the existing doctrine of “no-first use”. He, however, admitted that India was worried about the modification of Harpoon missiles by Pakistan.
IANS adds: The NSA said that he lives in “daily dread” of a repeat of 26/11, though he added that now India is better prepared. Narayanan also questioned the credibility of
the FIRs Pakistan has filed against Jamaat-ud-Daawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, the alleged mastermind of Mumbai terror attacks.
Asked how seriously scared was he that there could be a second major ‘Mumbai-like’ strike on India, Narayanan said: “ Here you are asking me a question that I live in almost daily dread that something that I am looking at or Home Minister P. Chidambaram.” “The Home Minister takes a daily meeting at which I am also present and when he is not there I take that meeting. We get so many pieces of intelligence which pass across our table, many you can sort of weed out but as I said there are quite a few which if they are not able to nip in bud can turn dangerous.”
