IAEA should take charge of Pakistan's nuclear weapons, says Indian defence minister

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The International Atomic Energy Agency should instrumentality complaint of Pakistan's atomic weapons, India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said connected Thursday, days aft the nuclear-armed neighbours ended their worst subject struggle successful astir 3 decades.

Deadly warring broke retired betwixt the aged enemies past week aft India struck what it said were "terrorist camps" successful Pakistan successful retaliation for an onslaught successful Indian Kashmir past period that killed 26 men, which it said was backed by Pakistan.

Islamabad had denied the allegations and some countries sent missiles and drones into each other's airspace successful the days that followed, earlier they reached a truce connected Saturday.

"Are atomic weapons harmless successful the hands of specified an irresponsible and rogue nation?" Singh said portion addressing soldiers successful Indian Kashmir's summertime superior Srinagar. "I judge that Pakistan's atomic weapons should beryllium taken nether the supervision of IAEA."

There was nary contiguous effect from Pakistan to Singh's comment.

The IAEA is simply a Vienna-based U.N. watchdog which monitors atomic programmes to guarantee they are peaceful.

India and Pakistan became atomic powers aft they conducted tit-for-tat atomic tests successful 1998 and their decades-old animosity has made the portion - the world's astir populous - 1 of its astir unsafe atomic flashpoints.

The latest subject struggle betwixt the South Asian neighbours spiralled alarmingly connected Saturday and determination were concisely fears that atomic arsenals mightiness travel into play arsenic Pakistan's subject said a apical assemblage overseeing its atomic weapons would meet.

But the Pakistani defence curate said nary specified gathering was scheduled.

Military analysts said this whitethorn person been Pakistan's mode of hinting astatine its atomic enactment arsenic Islamabad has a "first-use" argumentation if its beingness is nether menace successful a conflict.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said connected Monday that India would onslaught astatine violent hideouts crossed the borderline again if determination were caller attacks connected India and would not beryllium deterred by what helium called Islamabad's "nuclear blackmail".

Pakistan rejected Modi's statements arsenic being "provocative and inflammatory assertions", saying it represents a unsafe escalation.

Hindu-majority India and Islamist Pakistan person fought 3 wars successful the past, 2 of them implicit the Himalayan portion of Kashmir, which they some assertion successful afloat but regularisation successful part.

India besides blames Pakistan for supporting Islamist militants battling information forces successful its portion of Kashmir, but Islamabad denies the accusation.

(Reporting by Surbhi Misra, penning by Sakshi Dayal; Editing by YP Rajesh)