'India must test n-bomb before signing CTBT'

MUMBAI, MAY 1. India should test neutron bomb before signing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and the Government should not come under any kind of pressure to sign the treaty before the n-bomb test, the former Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, Dr. P. K. Iyengar, has said.

Addressing nuclear scientists, who took part in Pokhran I and II tests of 1974 and 1998 respectively, here at a meeting organised by ``Vijnan Bharati'' on Sunday, Mr. Iyengar said the Government would have no problem in withdrawing the self-imposed moratorium on testing nuclear devices at any time.

``The test will also not violate any international or bilateral treaty as we have not singed any,'' Mr. Iyengar said while speaking on ``the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the CTBT - are they steps towards nuclear disarmament?''

Describing the n-bomb as the most favoured weapon, he cautioned that ``it is a deadly weapon that could kill human beings and not materials'', he said ``it is more efficient in weight and the total energy produced''.

- PTI

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : National
Previous : Jharkhand adds to NDA's woes
Next     : No rollback in kerosene, LPG prices: Ram Naik