India would put into place the same kind of controls which exist in those countries which have nuclear weaponry. There would be only one person with his finger on the nuclear button and that would be the Prime Minister, he said. "That's how it has always got to be. In India the PM is the executive head of the Government and it shall be the PM."

Fernandes said nuclear tests without weaponising did not make any sense. "Whether one needs to weaponise in the context of what has happened across the border is a matter on which in Parliament the Prime Minister has made a public offer to Pakistan that we should sit together, we should talk and we should not get into any kind of a nuclear weaponrace. Therefore, it is going to be a two-way traffic and I hope Pakistan responds to the PM's appeal," he said.

When asked by a private TV channel in an interview if India might consider fresh tests, Fernandes said "No". On whether this meant that the PM's moratorium on testing stands, the Defence Minister said, "As of now, yes. In terms of a country's security concerns one doesn't say the last word at any point of time."

"When the PM said that we are going for a moratorium that moratorium stands. But I hope we don't get into that kind of a syndrome where they go for testing and then we say alright let's also go for testing. We don't need to go for any more testing. Whatever we needed to know, we got it". The Minister said he was not concerned about the situation as it had been anticipated. "When we went ahead with our testing we were aware of what was to come. Pakistan has said it is India-specific but we are not Pakistan-specific. Our concerns are much bigger and we have acted on those biggerconcerns".

On whether the Government would be prepared to use the deterrent, Fernandes said "Whatever is needed for the nation's security has to be used and will be used. The Army Chief has said that the Army always wanted it, the Army is happy that it has it and the Army believes that no one can push us around." Fernandes admitted that the strategic defence review, which he had earlier said would be held before exercising the nuclear option, had not been held so far.