The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday hit out at Pakistan over reports of its alleged nuclear testing activities as revealed by US President Donald Trump, saying such "clandestine and illegal" conduct is consistent with Islamabad's long history of nuclear proliferation and smuggling networks.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasised that India has consistently alerted the international community about Pakistan’s track record on nuclear proliferation.

"Clandestine and illegal nuclear activities are in keeping with Pakistan's history, that is centred around decades of smuggling, export control violations, secret partnerships, AQ Khan network and further proliferation," the MEA Spokesperson said, reported PTI Videos.

He further stated that India had "taken note" of Trump's comment about Pakistan's nuclear testing.

Jaiswal added, “Pakistan’s secret and illegal nuclear activities are related to its old history, which has lasted for decades.”

Jaiswal's comment comes in the backdrop of US President Donald Trump's recent revelation of Pakistan being among the countries that have been actively testing nuclear weapons.

In an interview with CBS’ 60 Minutes last week, Trump claimed that Russia, China, and Pakistan were testing nuclear weapons — a statement that triggered widespread speculation online.

"Russia's testing, and China's testing, but they don't talk about it... We are gonna test, because they test, and others test. And certainly North Korea's been testing. Pakistan's been testing," Trump said, without offering any evidence or further details.

Pakistan, however, dismissed Trump’s claim, saying it “was not the first to carry out nuclear tests and will not be the first to resume them.”

Previously, Defence minister Rajnath Singh responded to Donald Trump's claims. Singh asserted that India will act firmly and at the right time. "If Pakistan or the US is doing nuclear tests, let them," Singh said in an interview with CNN-News18.

He further said, "We will take the right step at the right time," adding India has proven that the military will give a strong response by entering into the territory.

Islamabad has not officially conducted a nuclear test since 1998, when it responded to India’s Pokhran-II tests carried out earlier that month in Rajasthan.