By KUNA,
New Delhi : India Sunday ruled out signing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in spite of its bilateral nuclear agreement with the US.
The country’s External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said this while reacting to incoming US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s recent remark that CTBT will be a “priority” for the new US government.
According to a report aired by India’s official radio All India Radio (AIR), Mukherjee said that India has absolutely made it clear to Washington that it is bound by the bilateral agreement with it and India-specific safeguards with the IAEA.
He added that he has already made it known that India’s foreign policy will be an extension of its national interest in the backdrop of “external environment”, especially in the backdrop of the 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes by Pakistan-based elements.
On India seeking help of the US, UK, and other nations to put pressure on Pakistan on the issue of terrorism, he said that India’s foreign policy has been “independent all along and does not take cues from anybody.” He also said that New Delhi will wait and watch how long Pakistan takes to complete the investigations into the Mumbai terror attacks. He said that Islamabad has informed through an Indian High commissioner that they have started the investigation process.
New Delhi had earlier given Islamabad evidence on Pakistani elements’ involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks.