While justifying the three nuclear tests conducted successfully at the Pokharan range in Rajasthan on Monday, Vajpayee took note of the international criticism and sought to allay fears on behalf of his government reiterating the country's commitment to a speedy process of nuclear disarmament leading to total and global elimination of nuclear weapons.

This was even as congratulatory messages poured in for the prime minister from all corners of the country, including political parties cutting across ideological lines. The Union cabinet met to take stock of the situation resulting from the nuclear tests, touching off sharp reactions from all over the world. The cabinet passed a resolution noting "with great sense of satisfaction the announcement by the prime minister yesterday that threeunderground nuclear tests were conducted in the Pokharan ranges."

The resolution said: "Mindful of the prevailing nuclear environment in India's neighbourhood, the council of ministers reiterates its concern and commitment to national security interests which are, and shall remain, paramount."

The resolution further said: "India remains committed to a speedy process of nuclear disarmament leading to total and global elimination of nuclear weapons within a stipulated time-frame.

The cabinet also placed on record its very high sense of appreciation of the entire Indian scientific community, particularly those belonging to the Department of Atomic Energy and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), which contributed so significantly and meaningfully to the revitalisation of India's technological maturity and progress.

Before the cabinet met, the prime minister, in an extraordinary gesture, went to the ministry of defence and held a meeting with the defence minister, home minister, thefinance minister, the three service chiefs and senior officials of the finance and defence ministries.

The meeting, which reportedly last two hours, discussed threadbare the repercussions of the nuclear tests so far. Apart from discussing the after-effects of the tests, the meeting is believed to have gone into detail of the current security scenario in the aftermath of the test.

The issue of threatened "sanctions" also reportedly figured in the talk which is believed to be an assessment-making exercise.

Subsequently, the "sanction" threat also came in for a brief discussion in the Union cabinet as well, sources said. The prime minister, it is learnt, has asked various ministries to give their assessment of the effect that the threatened sanctions would have on various ongoing and future projects.

Speaking to newspersons, prime minister's political advisor Pramod Mahajan said the nuclear tests were appreciated by the entire nation, "barring a few". "It was a test of nationalism", Mahajan said,adding that the feeling of national weakness was now over.

Answering questions on US sanctions, Mahajan said: "We hope they will appreciate our security concerns as we appreciate theirs and will not go beyond a point."

To a question if the government had decided to sign the comprehensive test ban treaty (CTBT), he replied in the negative. He termed as "absurd" a suggestion that the BJP-led government had gone ahead with nuclear tests to tide over the inner crisis in the coalition.

Mahajan also dismissed the Congress query about the timing of the test, saying he failed to understand the question. He said the coalition had mentioned it in the national agenda.

Mahajan said earlier prime ministers could not do it despite a national consensus. Vajpayee had done it as he was a bold PM, he added.