'U.S. missile test won't affect Indian n-plans'

VARANASI, JULY 9. The Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernandes, today said the United States' National Missile Defence (NMD) system will not affect India's nuclear programme and our delivery system is yet to reach the inter-continental level.

Addressing a press conference, Mr. Fernandes said, ``India's nuclear weapon system has a limited reach and the country does not have Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) which were to be checked by the U.S. National Missile Defence System.'' He refused to speculate the effects of the NMD system on India's nuclear weapon in future.

He said Russia and China were the countries which would be affected by the U.S. programme and they had expressed their concern over the move.

The Defence Minister said the U.S. move would drastically change the nuclear arms balance in the world and could start a new arms race. The U.S. decision-makers had propounded the concept of 'balance of terror' and `Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD)' and the latest move was bound to dismantle these concepts and the existing power balance, he added.

He said that besides Russia and China a large sections of the U.S. elite, especially scientists and peace activists, were also opposing the NMD system terming it `dangerous' and wastage of money.

Mr. Fernandes said the failure of the latest NMD test demonstrated that the programme was impractical and would create discord among nuclear powers.

Kargil victory day

The nation would observe `Kargil victory day' on July 26, the first anniversary of India's decisive triumph against last year's armed intrusion in the Kargil sector, the Defence Minister said.

He said the armed forces had called upon the public to light a lamp in every home as a tribute to the valiant soldiers who sacrificed their lives defending the borders.

A detailed nationwide programme for celebrating the day would be announced soon, he added.

`U.K. credibility at stake'

The Defence Minister said Britain's credibility was at stake on the issue of delivery of naval aircraft sea harrier and spare parts of the sea king helicopters to India.

Mr. Fernandes said Indian Navy was facing difficulties due to non-delivery of spare parts (gear boxes, rotor heads and blades) by Britain.

But the British Government was not to be blamed as the United States was pressing it not to supply the spare parts on the pretext of continuing sanctions against India.

- UNI

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