India rejects signing NPT

India today ruled out signing Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT), virtually rejecting the UN Security Council resolution on the issue adopted at the instance of the US President Barack Obama.

The Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on climate change, Shyam Saran, told reporters that India does not intend to be a party to the NPT as a non-nuclear weapon state.

"We are committed to nuclear disarmament and at the same time we are also committed to unilateral moratorium on nuclear tests," he told reporters in reply to a question whether India would sign the treaty in the wake of the UNSC asking non-NPT states to sign it.

Yesterday, the UNSC unanimously adopted a resolution at the instance of the US at a meeting presided by President Obama which asked the non NPT states to sign the treaty.