New Delhi: India on Friday responded to US President Donald Trump’s recent remarks on Pakistan’s alleged secret nuclear testing, reiterating that Islamabad has a long-standing history of “clandestine and illegal nuclear activities” involving proliferation, smuggling, and secret nuclear partnerships.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, addressing a weekly media briefing, said that Pakistan’s nuclear trajectory has consistently been marked by violations of export controls, secret collaborations, and the operations of the AQ Khan network, which facilitated nuclear proliferation internationally. “Clandestine and illegal nuclear activities are in keeping with Pakistan’s history, that is centered around decades of smuggling, export control violations, secret partnerships, AQ Khan network, and further proliferation,” Jaiswal stated.

He emphasised that India has repeatedly highlighted Pakistan’s nuclear proliferation record to the international community over the years. “In this backdrop, we have taken note of President Trump’s comment about Pakistan’s nuclear testing,” he added.

Trump had made the statement in an interview with CBS News’s “60 Minutes” over the weekend, discussing his plans for the United States to resume nuclear testing after a hiatus of over three decades. While defending his proposal, he claimed that nations including China, Russia, North Korea, South Korea, and Pakistan were conducting underground nuclear tests without public disclosure. “We’re going to test because they test. And certainly North Korea’s been testing. Pakistan’s been testing. They don’t go and tell you about it. They test way underground, where people don’t know what’s happening. You just feel a little vibration,” Trump said.

Pakistan, however, rejected the US President’s remarks, asserting that it “was not the first to carry out nuclear tests and will not be the first to resume them.” Officials in Islamabad downplayed the claim, maintaining that the country’s nuclear activities are in compliance with international norms.

Jaiswal’s statement comes against the backdrop of historical concerns surrounding Pakistan’s nuclear program. India has repeatedly drawn attention to the activities of metallurgist Abdul Qadeer Khan, who died in 2021. Khan was accused of running an extensive proliferation network, clandestinely supplying nuclear and missile technology to countries including North Korea, Iran, and Libya. He was placed under house arrest by successive Pakistani governments and remained a controversial figure in discussions on global nuclear security.

Responding to Trump’s comments, Jaiswal underlined that the pattern of clandestine activity is a known part of Pakistan’s nuclear history and has been consistently flagged to global authorities. He stressed that India closely monitors developments in the region and engages with the international community to prevent further proliferation risks.

The exchange of statements reflects broader concerns in global nuclear policy circles over the unregulated or opaque development of nuclear arsenals. While the United States has maintained a moratorium on nuclear testing for over thirty years, countries like Pakistan and North Korea have been repeatedly accused of continuing covert experiments, raising apprehensions about regional and international security.

India, which maintains a declared no-first-use nuclear doctrine, has used such international commentaries to highlight Pakistan’s historical violations and to reinforce its stance on responsible nuclear stewardship. Analysts note that while Trump’s remarks were informal and anecdotal, they underscore long-standing suspicions regarding Pakistan’s nuclear program and its international proliferation networks.

The MEA spokesperson also noted that New Delhi continues to engage with the international community and key partners on nuclear security issues, aiming to prevent the clandestine spread of nuclear weapons and associated technology. “India has always drawn the attention of the international community to these aspects of Pakistan’s record,” Jaiswal said, stressing the importance of global vigilance.

With global powers now revisiting their nuclear policies, including potential resumption of testing in response to perceived threats, India’s reiteration of Pakistan’s secretive nuclear history highlights the persistent concerns regarding nuclear proliferation in South Asia.