Former chief of the Indian army General S Padmanabhan has stated that the nuclear button should continue to remain in the hands of politicians and not with the armed forces.

He was addressing a news conference in New Delhi on Friday on the occasion of the release of his second book titled, 'A General Speaks'.

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"No. The nuclear button should remain in the hands of the politicans, who are competant enough to decide the crucial issues like when to wage a war and when to make peace. The only time I would like to have control of the button is when I feel that the Indian politicians have been decapacitated," he said.

Releasing the book, former defence minister Jaswant Singh said the 3 Cs were keeping the defence ministry officials away from ordering equipment for the armed forces.

"These are the Central Bureau of Investigations, Comptroller and Auditor General of India and Central Vigilance Commission," he told a bemused audience.

General Padmanabhan was quick to add that he did not order anything during his tenure as the army chief except for buying his own trousers.

The former army chief was so upset with the remarks of United States Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice on the Indo-Iran gas pipeline that he was forthright in criticism of the US.

"There are high expectations of improving relations with the US. India is a soverign nation and we should be able to take our own decisions. What business does Rice have to make comments on Indo-Iran gas pipeline? One cannot equate India with Pakistan. If the US wants to deal with India, then it has to do so on equal bases," he advised the US administration.

'The US has not fully delivered'

"In his book 'A General Speaks' he (General Padmanabhan) talks on 12 different subjects dealing with warfare, terrorism, intelligence, political control of the services, media, the psyche of Pakistan and Indian soldiers and the prospects of the peace in South Asia," said Vivek Garg of the Manas Publication that brought out this book.

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Garg also emphasised the need to have another look at the official policy that prevents serving officers from writing books. "Some of the books that are lying for clearance with the ministry of defence are good for the country but not for certain individuals," he added.