'India won't sign NPT in its current form'

Indian stand was put across to visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi during her interaction with the top Indian leadership including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Leader of the Opposition L K Advani, External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh and National Security Advisor J N Dixit here on Friday.

Kawaguchi on her part stressed the importance of nuclear-powered India and Pakistan joining the NPT and Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) regimes and their adherence to the international code of conduct relating to missile technology production and export, Press Secretary of Japanese Foreign Ministry Hathuhisa Takashima told reporters here Friday night.

Kawaguchi, who wrapped up her two-day visit to India after arriving here from Pakistan, emphasised the importance of nuclear disarmament but was told by New Delhi that it considered NPT as an unfair and discriminatory treaty in its current shape and it was simply unacceptable.