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We will use N-weapons if threatened, says Vajpayee

Prime Minister A B Vajpayee today asserted that India would not hesitate to use nuclear force if the country's security was threatened.

"We will not use these weapons against anyone, but if the country's defence requires us to do so, we will not hesitate," he said while addressing a public gathering at his home this morning.

Noting that some countries had imposed economic sanctions against India following the nuclear tests, Vajpayee said, "We hope that these nations will reconsider their stand before taking any further step." India was for a weapons-free world but was opposed to any discrimination in this regard, he pointed out.

In an obvious reference to the Opposition allegation that the government had conducted the nuclear tests because of the domestic problems being faced by it, the prime minister said, "This is not a decision taken suddenly and in haste. For the last 50 years, since we attained freedom, we have been undertaking research to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes."

The prime minister pointed out that all the defence programmes of the country were indigenous and were based on the technical capabilities achieved by the scientists. "Our programme is transparent. We have done nothing behind the curtains."

The reason why India conducted the nuclear tests was to find out if the scientific progress of the country was in tune with global developments. The country had conducted the first nuclear test in 1974 and since then efforts were being made to achieve further progress, he said.

Vajpayee said the successful nuclear tests were not the achievement of the Bharatiya Janata Party as such but the entire nation's. "It is not right to congratulate me alone for this. We are thankful to those had been working tirelessly in this direction and have now given the country the nuclear capability."

''Whatever India had done was meant for its own defence and the country has no aggressive design. We believe in the principle of live and let live, we want that our freedom should remain intact and our frontiers should be secure."

Vajpayee said India has been concentrating for the last several years on progress, but the security environment around the country had deteriorated over the past few years. New weapons were being produced, old weapons were being updated and fresh stocks were being piled, he noted.

UNI

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