India says 'no question' of being part of US missile shield

Jul 5, 2005, 15:32 GMT

New Delhi- India on Tuesday said there was "no question" of being part of the controversial U.S. missile defence shield.

"There's no question of having anybody's shield, but we are interested in our own missile programme. We have to expand our own programme," India's Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee told a press conference.

Mukherjee recently returned from the U.S. where he signed a new bilateral defence framework for the next 10 years. He was asked by reporters whether India will be part of the defence shield.

U.S. officials have made at least two presentations of the latest Patriot III anti-missile system to Indian defence ministry officials.

The defence minister cited the case of India having to develop its own (Kaveri) engines for its indigenous light combat aircraft following U.S. sanctions in the wake of India's 1998 nuclear tests.

Mukherjee also dismissed criticism of the new framework agreement from the government's left-wing coalition partners.

The framework will in no way contradict India's "stated positions" on India's independent foreign policy, the minister said.

The framework would also provide opportunities for India in areas such as joint production, research and development and technology transfers.

Left-wing parties have decided to stage a countrywide protest from July 8 against the signing of the framework.

"We are following an independent foreign policy. That is why we did not send troops to Iraq. We neither believe in exporting ideology nor have any territorial ambitions," Mukherjee said.

He said that he planned to hold talks with the left-wing parties.