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NMD won't determine Indian N-arsenal: PTI

T V Parasuram in Washington

India, China and Pakistan will decide the level of their nuclear arsenals uninfluenced by any decision by the US to deploy a National Missile Defence system, state department spokesman Richard Boucher said.

Stating that US plans to instal an NMD shield had no bearing on the nuclear programmes of India and Pakistan, he said "They may do that (increase nuclear levels) anyway. I don't see how our missile defence would affect what they decide to do in that situation.

"China is modernising its missiles. We have seen it underway for some time. We expect it to continue, whatever we do," Boucher said at a department briefing yesterday.

Asked if China might retaliate against NMD by supplying more missiles to Pakistan, he said, "We have a very active non-proliferation dialogue with the Chinese. We do think it is important for China to abide by international norms with regard to non-proliferation."

He said NMD was not a reason to start "selling missiles to people all over the world who might use them not only against us but against others as well".

Meanwhile, Pentagon has endorsed the view that China will modernise its nuclear arsenal regardless of plans by the US for installation of the NMD system.

Pentagon spokesman Kenneth Bacon said in his briefing on Thursday that China has been modernising strategic forces for sometime, long before NMD had become a front-burner issue.

US intelligence agencies believe if China enhances its nuclear capability, India will, in turn, expand its nuclear arsenal, triggering a similar reaction from Pakistan.

PTI

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