NEW DELHI, Oct 9: India voiced deep concern on Monday over North Korea’s nuclear test amid fears voiced by senior officials that the incident could jeopardise Delhi’s civil nuclear deal with the United States.
“We are deeply concerned at the reported nuclear test conducted by the DPRK,” a foreign ministry spokesman said. “It is unfortunate that the DPRK has conducted such a test in violation of its international commitments, jeopardising peace, stability and security on the Korean Peninsula and in the region.”
The spokesman added that the test also highlights the dangers of clandestine proliferation. “We are monitoring the situation and are in close touch with several countries,” he said.
Former Indian ambassador to Washington Lalit Mansingh said in a TV interview that Pyongyang’s secret test would make Delhi’s nuclear diplomacy more complicated. He expressed the fear that the US Senate that is due to consider the India-US nuclear deal would now be compelled to assess it in the context of growing proliferation, illustrated by the North Korean example.
India conducted five nuclear tests in May 1998, and has reserved its right to conduct further tests by not signing the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty. The European Union wants New Delhi to sign the NPT for future nuclear cooperation. North Korea pulled out of the treaty in 2003 after United States officials accused it of running a secret nuclear programme.
