New Delhi: Declaring that India was now a nuclear power, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today (Dec 16, 2004) asserted the country's policies on nuclear and defence would be based on "continuity and national consensus".

"India is a nuclear power and will remain a nuclear power," Singh said in the Rajya Sabha emphasising that the there would be continuity on India's nuclear and defence polices on the basis of "national consensus".

"These are issues best kept outside party politics," Singh said responding to Leader of the Opposition Jaswant Singh who wanted the Prime Minister to clarify External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh's reported remarks in Seoul that the previous NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Government was responsible for the nuclear standoff between India and Pakistan.