Chennai: Defence Minister George Fernandes on February 7 said the country was not considering any change to its nuclear doctrine of "no first use".

Talking to reporters on board the Coast Guard ship "Vajra" off the Chennai coast, he said the policy could not be changed overnight unless there was an extraordinary situation.

"As far as our nuclear doctrine is concerned there is no change. It remains as it was post 1998 (Pokhran II)."

He was replying to a question about a report submitted by a special committee, constituted by the Group of Ministers, to the National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra that the policy of "no first use" of nuclear weapons should be reconsidered and also recommending the lifting of the country's self-imposed moratorium on nuclear testing.

Asked about the Sukhoi fighter aircraft, Fernandes said that the country proposed to manufacture 140 such aircraft at HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited). He said during his last visit to Russia, he had spent two days at the Sukhoi factory at Siberia to see whether the country could afford manufacture of the aircraft.

The minister said it was also proposed to set up two manufacturing units in the country to provide product support and joint production of spares of defence equipment, for which spares were not available as Russia had updated its Defence products.

The question of export of spares to some developing countries requiring such parts, would also be considered, he said.

PTI