``Our designs are good. Our operators are very well trained, and we have very good independent atomic energy regulatory board,'' he told the American news magazine, Newsweek yesterday.

``Some western experts have described them as ``sophisticated tests of modern nuclear devices''. These devices - I call them 1998 vintage - are based on today's knowledge of physics and engineering,'' the renowned physicist who heads the Indian Atomic Energy Commission said.

India had decades of experience in designing, building and operating many nuclear research reactors and related facilities, he said.

He ruled out that India violated any international law on nuclear disarmament.

``In fact, we never violated any treaty obligations''he stressed, adding that the 1999 signing deadline of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) was a factor in conducting the tests.

``Many countries, apart from the so called five nuclear weapons states, have signed the NPT as non-nuclear states. So they have some obligations under the treaty. Also (because) they signed the comprehensive safeguards agreement with the IAEA.''

He rejected the suggestion that India's nuclear establishment is too secretive, saying it publishes enormous number of documents.

``We have annual reports. We have parliamentary committees to which we present all data. We answer parliamentary questions, now we invite media people (to visit) our nuclear centres,'' he said.

On the question of Iran and Iraq, he said, ``they are also signatories to NPT and you have been hearing a great deal about inspections by the United Nations weapons inspectors.''

Asked about doubts being expressed by some about the India testing a thermo nuclear device, Chidamabaram said reports in scientificjournals based on global seismic network designed for verification under the CTBT put the total yield as adding up to sixty kilotons.

``What we carried out was a staged thermonuclear explosion and its yield of forty-five tons was very close to the calculated (expected) value,'' he added.

On anti-nuclear lobby, he said India is a democratic country and it is really important to have people expressing their views.

``But I find a vast majority of our people back the nuclear tests,'' he added.

Replying to a question Chidambaram has said he does not have any ``moral problem'' with the tests as India has never been aggressive against any country. The tests were done only from the point of view of national security.

Chidamabaram dismissed the sanctions imposed by the United States with the remark that they would have not ``too much of effect'' and will help the country in attaining self sufficiency.

India, he told Newsweek, has some experience of sanctions after its peaceful nuclear explosion in1974. The Canadians walked out of a partly constructed reactor. That was completed by the Indians themselves.

``I think that strengthened our self reliance and gave us comprehensive scientific and technological capability that we now have in entire nuclear-fuel cycle,'' he said.