Defence Minister Rajnath Singh landed in Jaisalmer today for International Army Scout Masters Competition. He said that it is the coincidence that today is also Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s first death anniversary. He paid his tributes from Pokharan land where Vajpayee articulated India’s nuclear policy for the first time in 1998.
Defence Min Rajnath Singh in Pokhran: It is a coincidence that today I came for International Army Scout Masters Competition in Jaisalmer & today it is the first death anniversary of #AtalBihariVajpayee. So, I felt I should pay tribute to him on the land of Pokhran only. pic.twitter.com/xM9tshJ7i2
— ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2019
Speaking to the media, Rajnath Singh said that till now, India followed ‘no first use’ policy when it comes to using nuclear weapons. But from now, that stance will depend on circumstances.
#WATCH: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says in Pokhran, "Till today, our nuclear policy is 'No First Use'. What happens in the future depends on the circumstances." pic.twitter.com/fXKsesHA6A
— ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2019
As quoted by ANI, the minister said, “On the question of nuclear policy, till today, we have a policy of no-first-use. What happens in the future, will depend on circumstances.” He said that it was Pokhran only, from where India emerged as a nuclear power. He hailed Atal Ji’s contribution in making India a nuclear power.
BACKGROUND:
India’s first nuclear test was conducted in May 1974 under the regime of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The operation was codenamed as “Smiling Buddha”.
In 1998, Pokharan-2 was conducted under the watch of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. After the successful conduct of the nuclear test, India adopted a nuclear doctrine that declared a ‘no first use’ (NFU) policy.
No first use policy (NFU) directs a government not to use nuclear weapons as a means of warfare unless the other nation attacks it first with nuclear weapons.
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