India Should Worry About The Neighboring Nuclear Horns

India Expresses Concern Over Pakistan-China Nuke Deal

Published: Dec 19, 2014 at 1:29 pm
InSerbia News

 

Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has expressed serious concern over the nuclear deal between neighbouring Pakistan and China, saying that New Delhi will discuss the issue with Beijing.

At the same time, she said that India is “fully prepared” to safeguard national interests. “India is well prepared to deal with threats. We are fully alert. We will not allow any harm to (happen to) India,” she also said while speaking at the Lok Sabha – the Lower House of the Indian Parliament recently.

Swaraj once again assured the members of the House that the Narendra Modi government would take all the necessary steps to protect national interests. “The government remains concerned about the impact of the deal on global non-proliferation norms. It believes that countries should abide by the commitments that they have undertaken in the field of nuclear non-proliferation,” stressed the minister.

 

According to Swaraj, India is well aware of the agreement signed by Islamabad and Beijing on the basis of which China will supply two additional nuclear power reactors – Chashma-3 and Chashma-4 – to Pakistan. Although Chashma-3 and Chashma-4 reactors are under construction, Chashma-1 and 2 reactors are currently in operation.

 

A couple of months ago, the Chinese officials had informed New Delhi that its nuclear supplies to Pakistan were in accordance with its international obligations and for peaceful purposes. Swaraj added that China, as a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), should not forget its responsibility to ensure that necessary safeguards are in place before exporting nuclear technology to any countries.

 

Meanwhile, she admitted that India would not raise the issue in the UN because the China-Pakistan nuclear deal was yet to reach that level. Recently, Pakistan and China have described bilateral defence co-operation as an important component of strategic co-operation between them. For long, Beijing has been providing Pakistan with military assistance and equipment. Chinese officials visit Pakistan on a regular basis to conduct acceptance tests on the military equipment supplied by them and train Pakistani soldiers on the same. The two Asian neighbours also hold joint exercises between their Armies, Navies and Air Forces regularly.