NEW DELHI, Nov 14: India marked its national Children’s Day on Thursday with President A.P.J Abdul Kalam explaining to the young ones the relevance of nuclear weapons and how they may have to be used when peace is threatened.

It was not easy even for the veteran scientist credited with building the country’s nuclear missiles to parry some of the questions, a typical one being why not spend the money allocated to war machines to alleviate the country’s grinding poverty.

In what could be his first remarks as the head of state on India’s nuclear policy, an unusual subject for any Indian president to delve on, Kalam told the school children — who met him at public function — that the country could use the weapons to defend itself.

“We have taken a decision that India will not use nuclear weapons first,” Kalam was quoted by the Press Trust of India as telling his young audience.

“But when peace is threatened and somebody else uses it, India will use it for defending the country”, he said.

Saying that “all around nations have nuclear weapons,” Kalam explained: “When two of our neighbours have got nuclear weapons, naturally for India, to protect peace, we have to have it”.

The Zeenews channel said Kalam mingled with the children, answering questions which ranged from his vision to make India a developed nation to the issue of brain drain.

A youngster wanted to know if the government should really use the funds spent on testing missiles in Chandipur for the poor. Kalam said that the spending was not much and it was for the defence and security of the country which were important.