HOSHIARPUR: Defence minister Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday said India would not change its nuclear policy under any circumstances.

Addressing the media, the defence minister said the ministry had given a no-objection certificate for according commercial status to the Adampur defence airport in Jalandhar district. “The Airports Authority of India and Air India are holding a meeting in July to finalise things,” he added.

He said India was a responsible nuclear power and did not need any lessons from the external forces. Replying to queries about Pakistan’s threat of a nuclear war, he said India knew its job well enough.

Parrikar said Pakistan was burning its own hands in the fire of militancy. “We are equipped to counter any attack and give a befitting reply to those who want to destabilise the country,” he warned.

Responding to the recent Chinese intrusion in Arunachal Pardesh, Parrikar said the country’s defence forces were keeping a close vigil on the situation. He, however, said that the overall cross-border infiltration had come down in the recent past.

Talking about the Union government’s “Make in India” initiative in the defence sector, Parrikar said that indigenous Tejas had been inducted and a proposal was afoot to manufacture twin engine fighter aircraft in partnership with a foreign company.

Refusing to speak much on AgustaWestland chopper scam, he said the previous UPA government had flouted established norm to strike the deal and the matter was under investigation. The allegations of Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s sonin-law Robert Vadra’s links with an arms dealer were also being probed, he added.