Nuclear weapons are not for fighting wars but for strategic capability, Indian army chief General VK Singh said on Sunday.
“Nuclear weapons are not for war fighting, let’s be quite clear on it. They have got a strategic capability and that is where it should end. My army and I are not bothered about who has nuclear weapons. We have our task cut out and we will progress along that,” he told reporters in Delhi. The Indian army chief said this in response to a query on any possible nuclear eventuality from China in wake of the new Mountain Strike Corps being raised by the Indian army.
On reports claiming that Pakistan might deploy its forces along the border with India as a defensive measure in case of any terror strike, he said, “It does not affect our options in anyway. Those are their options… they are most welcome to do what they want to do.” To a question whether the Finance Ministry had put a stop on some of the procurement plans of the army, Gen Singh denied any knowledge and said the country’s leadership was quite alive to the needs of the armed forces.
On the Gujarat High Court’s recent order to release a list of Indian prisoners of war (PoWs) in Pakistan, he said, “Discussion is going on this issue since 1965 and 1971. The government is trying its best for this. The court’s decision will be added to it.”