India: The policy of not using nuclear weapons will change.
India's Defence Minister stated that New Delhi remains committed to "not using nuclear weapons first," but this policy will change based on the situation.
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| India's Agni II missile |
The warning was issued by Minister Rajnath Singh amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.
India claimed to possess nuclear weapons capabilities after conducting clandestine tests in 1998. Shortly afterward, India's long-time rival, Pakistan, responded with similar tests. Since then, according to nuclear experts, both countries have developed nuclear weapons and missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
According to Reuters, during a visit to Pokhran, western India – the site of nuclear tests in 1974 and 1998 – Defence Minister Rajnath Singh paid tribute to the late Prime Minister and revered leader Atal Behari Vajpayee for leading India to become a nuclear-capable nation.
“Pokhran is where the late Prime Minister Atal Vajpayee demonstrated his determination to turn India into a nuclear power, and New Delhi remains serious about its commitment to not using nuclear weapons first. However, what happens in the future depends on the circumstances.”
Vipin Narang, a nuclear affairs expert at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), said that Singh's warning is a sign that the "no first use of nuclear weapons" policy may change in the future. This is the highest-level official statement from the Indian Ministry of Defence to date.
