17th Aug 2019 10:08:PM Editorials
Eastern Sentinel Arunachal News

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday last while paying respects to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his first death anniversary in Pokhran has made a statement that depending on future circumstances, if necessary, India may review its long pursued policy of ‘no first use’ of nuclear weapons. Although it will be too early to say whether this ‘hint’ will actually metamorphose into a national security policy in the immediate days, it has no doubt created a flutter and caught world attention setting the mood for extensive debates. But more importantly, it will be enough to send shivers down the spines of the declared as well as occult antagonists of India and presumably force them to review their policy towards India, which, as time has proved repeatedly, are based grossly on deleterious and vindictive lines.
And with the statement emanating from a place which has been the ‘laboratory’ for India’s nuclear experiments, it will be worth recalling the relevant past in short. It can be remembered that it was in Pokhran where nuclear tests were conducted first in 1974 and then in 1998 for the second time during Vajpayee’s tenure which saw a series of five such and subsequent ‘no first use’ declaration in 1999, meaning there would be no first attack by India and will be only of a retaliatory reciprocation if in case a nuclear attack befalls. This has been the steadfast policy since then and even if there were demands for its review from various quarters and a statement from then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in 2016 advocating changes which although was later clarified as solely personal comment, the issue somehow evaporated from frontline national discussions. But this time, as per opinions of experts that include political as well as defence, since the Defence Minister’s statement has come at a time with the preemptive Balakot strike just five months old and more particularly amidst a current upswing of tension with Pakistan after revocation of Article 370, it’s weighty and carries chances of being a part of the country’s security policy. Expectedly, Pak Foreign Minister has remarked it as “Another damning reminder of India’s unbridled thirst for violence.”
Nuclear weapons by itself are nothing but graves which man has developed for themselves and its usage can never be acceptable even under most extreme circumstances. But the ‘buts’ and ‘ifs’ are the practicalities which will always be there as long as there are rogue nations of the likes of Pakistan and China.
And although time will unfold what this statement really matures into, for the time being, in a lighter vein it can be said that India’s foes are going to have some sleepless nights, only for our relish. 


Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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