- NEW DELHI (PNS) -
The task of nuclear weaponisation of the Indian Navy at short notice can
be accomplished by Club Missiles which are nuclear-capable and have already
been inducted into the Navy, the Deccan Herald reported quoting well placed
sources.
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- Though it is not known whether the Indian Navy has already
been armed with nuclear weapons,this smallest of the three services can
be equipped with nukes at a short notice.
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- The 300-km range missiles were purchased from Russia
last year and have provision for carrying nuclear warheads. Besides, the
Navy can also pin hopes on Brahmos missiles project on which it is working
in collaboration with Russia.
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- The high-versatility missile is going to have a range
of 280 km. While the army and the air force are having nuclear weapons,
it has been the navy which has been clamouring for the nukes.
-
- Though the Indian Nuclear Doctrine talks of building
up a triad of nuclear weapons - that is acquiring the capability of launching
nuclear weapons from land, air and sea - the triad-capability is yet to
be achieved.
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- According to sources, it would still take some time for
the government to take care of the third leg of the triad - the Navy -
as far as arming the force with nuclear weapons is concerned.
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- Admiral Madhvendra Singh, who recently took over as the
new Chief of Naval Staff, had at a Press conference declined to confirm
or deny whether the Navy had nuclear weapons.
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- The Naval chief had said: "I can neither confirm
nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons on warships. Any country that
espouses the doctrine of no-first-use of nuclear weapons must have a second
strike capability. And one of the triad is at sea... the most powerful
leg of the triad is in the Navy and is hidden under water and moving."
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