NEW YORK: External Affairs Minister Dinesh Singh firmly asserted on Sept.27 that India will not allow outside interference in Jammu and Kashmir nor give up indigenous nuclear and missile technology till others do the same and its security was assured.
Without naming Pakistan, he sharply attacked neighboring states which promote narcotics smuggling, gun running and terrorism, thus internationalizing certain domestic problems.
Referring to nuclear nonproliferation, Dinesh Singh reminded the audience that countries like Pakistan and Iraq have been pro Curing the nuclear weapon technology, through “clandestine means and subterfuge” and China is among the nations which have refused to move from their position of maintaining their nuclear arsenals.
“India has certain security concerns as we are situated next door both to China and Pakistan. These have to be addressed. Our indigenous technology in this context cannot be given up unless others do the same and our security is assured. The same conditions also apply to our missile technology,” he said.
Indian parliament and public Opinion, the external Affairs Minister said, are especially ‘allergic’ to any outside dictates that may thwart possession or development of indigenous technology in these and other fields of hi-tech and sophisticated technologies.
Dinesh Singh said India is “encouraged’ to note that US was thinking in terms of moving towards a comprehensive test ban treaty. “We have always supported this idea.”
However, UK, France and China have refused to move from their position of maintaining their nuclear weapons. Over the years, the attempt has been made to provide these weapons a certain legitimacy, certain acceptability as a deterrent,” he added.
Both US and India, he said, are “seriously interested’ in disarmament, preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction and streamlining the elements of general and complete disarmament.
Dinesh Singh also made a brief reference to the country’s economic liberalization program, saying India feels that its economy needs to be turned to international economy.
In earlier years of its independence, India industrialized “with fair degree of success,” through its policy of self-reliance and self-sufficiency, But recent global changes in marketing, investment and communication have ‘persuaded us to evolve from our strategy, and evolve into a market economy,’ he said.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 1, 1993
