Indian PM wants dialogue with China and Pakistan

The Indian Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, has said he wants to secure good relations with China and Pakistan through dialogue.

In comments to journalists, he said his country's status as a nuclear power was an objective reality, but that India wanted peaceful co-existence with its neighbours.

He confirmed that India had placed a moratorium on further nuclear tests, but said his government was not ready to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

The five nuclear tests, which India conducted two weeks ago, were condemned by China and Pakistan and drew economic sanctions from the United States and Japan.)

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service