MADRID, July 10, Reuter: India would reconsider its nonnuclear military policy if it discovered that Pakistan had atomic weapons, Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was quoted as saying on Sunday.
Gandhi told the newspaper El Pais in an interview that India did not at present want to become a nuclear power.
“We do not have the bomb. WE do not have a nuclear arms program. But we feel very threatened by the attitude of Pakistan”, he said.
“Therefore we would have to reconsider many things if we found evidence those Pakistan possesses the atomic bomb, because this would mean a clear threat to our security and we would have to think about preventive measures”, Gandhi said.
Gandhi said Pakistan was on the verge of acquiring the nuclear bomb, and according to some reports, already had it.
“It is increasingly clear that Pakistan’s nuclear program is a nuclear armament program… those who could have prevented Pakistan from acquiring nuclear weapons have not acted with sufficient energy”, Gandhi said.
Gandhi is due to make the first visit to Spain by an Indian Prime minister next Friday during a 10day international cup.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 15, 1988
