New Delhi: Asserting that the country had credible nuclear deterrence in place, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee today (Sep 5, 2004) said that specialised forces were being raised to tackle nuclear threat in all its dimensions.

"Whatever is needed to safeguard the country and to ensure effective deterrence, in line with our nuclear doctrine of 'no first use', has been done," Mukherjee said in an interview in New Delhi.

Maintaining that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) had a definite time-frame on test-firing of the country's intermediate range 3000-km surface-to-surface ballistic missile Agni-III, he said India was committed to "no first use" of nuclear weapons and non-use of these weapons against non-nuclear weapon States.

The Defence Minister also said that India had reached an understanding with its neighbouring countries to share information on missile test firing.

Asked if safeguards had been taken against selective nuclear strikes on forces and on civilians, the Defence Minister replied, "We are raising specialised troops to tackle such threats."

In the wide-ranging interview, Mukherjee ruled out any scaling down of forces from the world's highest battlefield, Siachen Glacier, as well as from insurgency-torn Jammu and Kashmir.

"Our presence in Siachen Glacier is limited. And, secondly, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is not yet conducive for thinning down of forces," he said. The Defence Minister said a series of confidence building measures had been proposed to Pakistan, including opening up of the road from Srinagar to Muzaffarabad in PoK.

"The proposal of (PDP chief) Mehbooba Mufti to have weekly markets (haats) can also be considered. But the Pakistanis should agree," Mukherjee said.

On infiltration from across the Line of Control (LoC), he said figures available indicated that it had gone up in June-July, which is the time when it goes up.

"There has been substantial increase in attempts (by militants) to cross the LoC, but we have frustrated most of these attempts. The fencing along the LoC is proving quite effective," he said while indicating that the terrorist infrastructure on the other side of LoC had remained intact.

While pointing out that situation on the Sino-India border had considerably eased due to confidence building measures taken mutually, Mukherjee said that similar softer border approach on the Western side was still distant.

Ruling out perceptions that there had been any de-escalation in the military-level ties with the US after assumption of power by the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government, the Defence Minister said mutual interaction was continuing at the "same level" with Washington offering fast-track sale of some of the weapons platform, including anti-submarine P3C plus Orions for the Indian Navy.

Elaborating, he said the two sides were in the process of finalising the deal. Navy proposes to buy ten of these anti-submarine and martime reconnaissance aircraft to make up its depleted maritime aviation fleet.

On the danger of depletion of IAF's fighter strength due to phasing out of 300 MiG aircraft in the next three years, Mukherjee said that efforts were on to ensure that the present level of IAF's strength was maintained.

"We intend to have a variety of aircraft including the upgraded Mirages" for this purpose, he said, adding that the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy, had submitted a detailed long-term plan on this.

On defence ties with Israel, he said that it would continue and expand. "But at the same time, this will not be at the cost of India's traditional relations with our West Asian friends".

Regarding the situation in Manipur, the Defence Minister for the first time said a bill to retain the regional character of the Assam Rifles would be revived soon. He said a bill had been introduced by the previous Government which had lapsed due to Parliament being dissolved and it was proposed to be revived.

On the handing over of Kangla Fort to the Manipur Government, Mukherjee said the process would be completed by December 31 this year after a connecting road was built to link the Assam Rifles' Divisional Headquarters. On the demand for revocation of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, he said it had been reviewed by the State Government and partially lifted from Imphal city.

"We (Centre) did not intervene and do not want to interfere," he said. "So we have expressed no opinion on this and not taken any conclusive decision."