The article gives historical context for India’s nuclear programme, focusing on the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998. This year is noteworthy since it marks the 25th anniversary of National Technology Day.
A Brief History of India’s Nuclear Programme
- In 1998, India conducted nuclear bomb tests at the Pokhran Test Range.
- These tests, codenamed Operation Shakti, demonstrated India’s ability to develop nuclear weapons.
- The tests marked the culmination of a long journey that began in the 1940s-50s.
- Homi J Bhaba, a physicist, was instrumental in building the groundwork for India’s nuclear programme.
- In 1954, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru backed Bhaba’s efforts by establishing the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).
Reasons: China and Pakistan pose a threat
- After the 1962 Sino-Indian War and China’s nuclear bomb test in 1964, India’s attitude towards nuclear weapons shifted.
- In the face of an unfriendly China and Pakistan, the political elite recognised the need for self-sufficiency.
- India attempted but failed to obtain nuclear guarantees from established nuclear armed states.
- The pursuit of nuclear weapons became a top priority for India.
The NPT’s “Discriminatory” Provisions
- The Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was signed in 1968, dividing nuclear-weapon states from non-nuclear ones.
- India declined to sign the deal because it did not address its worries regarding nuclear weapon states’ reciprocal commitments.
- The NPT was widely accepted internationally, but India remained one of the few non-signatories.
Pokhran-I and Its Repercussions
- Pokhran-I, also known as Operation Smiling Buddha, was India’s first nuclear test in 1974.
- Despite being characterised as a “peaceful nuclear explosion,” the test drew international condemnation and penalties.
- Political unrest, especially the 1975 Emergency, hampered India’s nuclear program’s growth.
- The threat of nuclear weapons revived in the 1980s as Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities advanced.
The time interval between the two tests
- India experienced difficulties as a result of domestic political instability and shifting international dynamics.
- The disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991 undermined India’s military partnerships.
- Despite reservations about Pakistan’s nuclear programme, the US has maintained its backing.
- India was under pressure to build nuclear weapons swiftly since the window of opportunity appeared to be closing.
Pokhran II: Projecting India’s Might
- The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was formed in 1998 by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
- The pinnacle of India’s nuclear weaponization was Operation Shakti, which was carried out in reaction to Pakistan’s missile launch.
- Following Pokhran-II, India declared itself a nuclear weapons state.
- Some sanctions were imposed in response to the tests, but India’s burgeoning economy and market potential helped it survive international criticism.
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-history/25th-anniversary-pokhran-ii-8604356/