Govt seeks to allay apprehensions of NSG members

NEW DELHI: Seeking to allay apprehensions of certain NSG countries, India on Friday said it is committed to the strengthening of the non-proliferation regime and underlined the policy of no-first-use of nuclear weapons.

With the NSG meeting for a waiver to India for nuclear commerce underway in Vienna, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee issued a statement here saying that New Delhi will work with the international community to advance the "common objective" of non-proliferation.

He assured the world community that India will not be a source of proliferation of sensitive technologies, including enrichment and reprocessing transfers.

Mukherjee noted that New Delhi remained committed to a voluntary, unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing.

"We do not subscribe to any arms race, including nuclear arms race. We have always tempered the exercise of our strategic autonomy with a sense of global responsibility. We affirm our policy of no-first-use of nuclear weapons".

"We stand for the strengthening of the non-proliferation regime...," Mukherjee said.

Mukherjee's remarks come in the backdrop of some members of the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) expressing concern over giving India a waiver for conducting nuclear trade.

Assuring the international community about working for a non-proliferation regime, the Minister said New Delhi is "interested in participating as a supplier nation, particularly for Thorium-based fuel and in establishment of international fuel banks, which also benefit India."