NEW DELHI, Oct 7: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Wednesday that the time was not ripe for New Delhi to sign the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Dr Singh's remarks were significant because German Chancellor Gerhard Shroeder was by his side when he spoke. The comments were also nuanced differently from Dr Singh's previous remarks on the issue.

Mr Schroeder has backed India's quest to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, but the move would inevitably require India to sign the NPT first.

Last month, addressing his first news conference as prime minister, Dr Singh had said that signing the NPT was "no longer a live issue". Speaking to reporters along with Mr Schroeder following their summit-level talks in New Delhi, Dr Singh maintained that India was a responsible nuclear power. "We are a nuclear power.

We are a responsible nuclear power," he said in response to a question whether India would sign the NPT. The prime minister said that India acted with restraint and noted that its nuclear doctrine was based on "no-first use".

"We have an impeccable record in export control and we would like to work with like-minded countries on non-proliferation issues," Dr Singh. The German Chancellor arrived here on Wednesday on a two-day state visit.