January 11, 2002

'33'

INDIA PURSUING DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS IN THE SUB-CONTINENT SAYS FERNANDES

   Following is the full text of the statement given by the Defence Minister Shri George Fernandes here today. The Army Chief's answers to questions at a press conference today on the nuclear weapons, seem to have created an uncalled for concern.
India's nuclear doctrine is very categoric that India shall not be the first to use the nuclear weapon, and looks to it as deterrent. In the event of being attacked with a nuclear weapon, India will retaliate in kind, as any other nuclear weapon country would.
In the prevailing situation on the sub-continent, we are pursuing the diplomatic efforts in the belief that they will yield results.

    The government has not been talking of nuclear weapons. I wish everyone gives up this talk of nuclear weapons being brought into play. The use of nuclear weapons is far too serious a matter that it should be bandied about in a cavalier manner. As tha Army Chief has said in his reply, " the nuclear exchange between two countries of the South Asian continent will be disastrous for the whole region " And no sensible person will ever want to invite that disaster.