Parrikar favours responsible use of nuclear weapons
NEW DELHI: Defence minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday wondered why India cannot say “we are a responsible nuclear power and I will not use it irresponsibly” instead of subscribing to a “no first use policy”, remarks he said were personal in nature.
With the comments coming ahead of plans to sign a nuclear pact with Japan during the ongoing visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the country, the defence ministry also clarified, reiterating that Parrikar’s comment were his personal opinion.
“Why should I bind myself ? I should say I am a responsible nuclear power and I will not use it irresponsibly. This is my (personal) thinking,” Parrikar said. He was replying to a question as he explained the need to be unpredictable in warfare strategy.
Following the nuclear weapons test in 1998, India had declared a “no first use” nuclear policy.
Taking a dig at the media, he said they will publish that the nuclear policy has changed.
“It has not changed in government. It is my concept. As an individual, I also get a feeling. I am not saying you have to use it first. The hoax can be called off,” he said, adding that prior to the surgical strikes, Pakistan’s defence minister used to threaten India with the possible use of tactical nuclear weapons.
“From the day the surgical strikes happened, no threat has come. They realised that we can do something, which is not welldefined,” he said.
A ministry spokesperson later clarified, “This is with reference to a statement made this evening at a book release function — what he (Parrikar) said was his personal opinion and not an official position. What he said was that India being a responsible power should not get into the first use debate. But once again it is clarified that this was his personal opinion.”