Published by the Press, Information & Culture Wing, Embassy of India

(May 1999)

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NO SIGNING OF NPT, CTBT UNLESS INDIA’S
SECUIRTY CONCERNS ARE MET: FERNANDES

The Defence Minister, Shri George Fernandes has said that there could be no signing of Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) or the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) unless India’s security concerns are met. He was addressing a symposium on "Building Nation’s Security" organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here this evening.

Shri Fernandes remarked that India had emerged as a strong nation with regard to defence capabilities after POKHRAN-II nuclear explosions and the test firing of AGNI-II. We have said categorically that the signing of the NPT or the CTBT would be subject to the world accepting that India’s security concerns have to be met in a transparent manner, he said.

Shri Fernandes emphasised the need to sort out disputes through dialogue. Threat perceptions are not permanent but undergo constant changes, he said. He referred to the Sino-Indian dialogue currently underway with both sides underlining the need to settle the issues through dialogue. According to him, talks between India and Pakistan also took a decisive turn after the POKHRAN-II and Pakistan’s nuclear explosions with both countries having demonstrated their nuclear weapons capability.

Shri Fernandes underlined the linkages between the internal and external security. Economic conditions and the employment situation are the key issues, be it in Jammu and Kashmir or the North-East, he said. The Defence Minister said India had not harboured aggressive designs on any country and our culture, philosophy and history were rooted in peaceful intentions.

Speaking about the possibilities of involvement of the private sector in defence, Shri Fernandes informed the gathering that several defence laboratories have been opened for use by the private sector. He indicated that the manufacturing work on the Air Defence Ship would start in about one year’s time and would provide opportunities for the private sector also.