Will not join NPT as non-nuclear state: India

Pittsburgh, Sep 25: India has reacted sharply to the US backed United Nations security resolution on disarmament and non-proliferation, which was passed on Sep 24.

Addressing reporters on the sidelines of G20 at Pittsburgh summit, Prime Minister's special envoy on Climate Change, Shyam Saran, said, "We don't intend to be a party to the NPT as a non nuclear weapon state. We have also said that we are committed to nuclear disarmament. We have also reaffirmed our commitment to unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing so far as India's position is concerned that has been very clearly laid out."

The resolution has asked all non-NPT states to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Although, the decision taken by the 15-member committee of the Security Council is not binding but it will certainly build up pressure on India, Pakistan, Iran and North Korea.

Anticipating the UNSC move, Permanent Representative of India at UN, H S Puri, has already sent a letter to his American counterpart, and president of the Security Council, Susan E Rice.

The letter was sent on Wednesday to the UNSC president outlining opposition to the prescriptive clauses in the draft resolution and its opposition to joining the NPT.

"As India's Prime Minister stated in Parliament on July 29, 2009, there is no question of India joining the NPT as a non-nuclear weapon state. Nuclear weapons are an integral part of India's national security and will remain so, pending non-discriminatory and global nuclear disarmament," the letter stated.

ANI