NEW DELHI, Dec 19: India on Tuesday said it would keep options open to conduct more nuclear weapons tests despite a deal with the United States to access western civilian nuclear technology.

“We will keep our options open to conduct nuclear tests and the decision will be left to the wisdom of the authority at that point of time,” Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee announced in parliament.

“We will not foreclose our option,” he said during a debate on the deal.

The minister’s comments came after opposition leaders warned that the deal could stump the military’s nuclear programme in India.

Mr Mukherjee attacked the Non-Proliferation Treaty and said India would not sign the accord.

“We consider it a fraud treaty,” he told parliament.—AFP