US govt requested for USS Nimitz visit: Antony

New Delhi, Sep 5:The government today emphatically stated that the request for the visit of the nuclear-powered USS Nimitz off the Chennai coast in July, made by the US government and the Indian Navy was not to conduct any naval exercise with the US Navy during the port call.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Defence Minister A K Antony, however, said interaction with the US Navy personnel on board USS Nimitz did take place.

Mr Antony said port calls are routinely made by all navies, including the Indian Navy.

''The policy on the port calls by foreign naval vessels does not exclude nuclear-powered vessels from calling at Indian ports with the permission of the Indian Government,'' he informed the Upper House.

The minister said an arrangement for clearance of such vessels to call at Indian ports, keeping in view environmental safety aspects, had been prescribed, and this was followed in the case of visit of USS Nimitz.

''It has, however, been the Government's policy that port calls by foreign naval ships that carry nuclear weapons are not permitted,'' he said, adding that foreign governments were fully aware of it.

USS Nimitz, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, had anchored a few miles off Chennai harbour during July 2-5.

Mr Antony also said there were some protests against the visit of the aircraft carrier.

UNI