Manohar Parrikar: Why ‘no first use’ nuclear policy

Defence minister Manohar Parrikar created a stir on Thursday when he indicated his support for a policy that is in variance with India’s stated policy of no-first-use (NFU) of nuclear weapons.

Speaking at a book release function, Mr Parrikar said: “If written down strategy exists or you take a stand on a nuclear aspect, I think you’re actually giving away your strength in nuclear. People say India has no-first-use nuclear concept. Why should I bind myself I should say that I’m a responsible nuclear power and I’ll not use it irresponsibly. This is my (personal) thinking”. The minister added that before India conducted the September 28-29 surgical strikes, the Pakistan defence minister had even threatened the possible use of tactical nuclear weapons.

“It has not changed in government. It is my concept. As an individual I also get feeling. I am not saying you have to use it first. Hoax can be called off,” he said, adding that prior to the surgical strike, Pakistan defence minister used to threaten India with the possible use of tactical nuclear weapons.

“From the day surgical strike happened, no threat has come. They realised that we can do something which is not well defined,” he said.

Asked if this means that India is going to rethink its nuclear policy, the minister replied in the negative.

“I am not at all saying about rethinking. What I am saying is that if I fix my doctrine...Question was on nuclear, any aspect of my defence functioning, if I make it predictable, then I will lose the advantage of surprise. Unpredictability has to be built in your certain types of policy. You may decide for yourself, but don’t spell it out,” he said.

The defence ministry spokesperson too clarified: “What he (Parrikar) said was his personal opinion and not the official position. What he said was that India being a responsible power should not get into the ‘first-use’ debate”.

A NFU policy commits to use nuclear weapons only in retaliation. While India has a NFU policy, arch-rival Pakistan doesn’t have one.

Interestingly, it was a Atal Behari Vajpayee-led NDA government that had adopted the NFU doctrine after the second nuclear tests, Pokhran-II, in 1998. The first explosion tests, Pokhran-I, took place in 1974.