20 years of Pokhran- II A formidable journey

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20 years of Pokhran- II
A formidable journey

• Raj IAS Academy

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The formidable journey -

• India was grappling with the proximate nuclear
  challenge from China since 1964 when China became
  the fifth member of the global nuclear club.
• India sought to redress this strategic imbalance
  by carrying out a peaceful nuclear explosion
  (PNE) in May 1974 under the leadership of PM
  Indira Gandhi but India refrained from
  weaponising this technology demonstrator due to
  American and Western sanctions and NPT and NSG
  considerations.
• Through 1980s Pakistan pursued a covert nuclear
  programme enabled by China which marked the
  beginning of China-Pak axis in WMD cooperation.
  By 1990s, Pakistan army had acquired a covert
  nuclear weapon and Indias nuclear asymmetry and
  vulnerability became more stark.

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• Pakistan utilised this nuclear capability by
  intensifying its terror attacks against India
  which was described as a nuclear weapon enabled
  terrorism.
• India was left alone in the midst of this dangers
  when in 1991 the Soviet Union collapsed and the
  United States became the sole superpower.
• US prowess was evident when it imposed strict
  sanctions under the pretext of nuclear
  non-proliferation on Iraq during the latters
  invasion of Kuwait. United States held complete
  control over the sanctity of the nuclear club and
  prohibited entry to the club to any more member
  other than the five nuclear weapon state (NWS)
  members. India rejected the NPT by labelling it
  as nuclear apartheid.

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• In 1995, PM Narasimha Rao sought to carry out a
  nuclear test and establish a de-facto NWS but
  this was foiled by the USA.
• Finally, the strong determination of PM Vajpayee
  led India to cross the political pressure from
  around the world to establish India the sixth
  de-facto nuclear weapon state (NWS), thus
  establishing its strategic autonomy.
• After the second tests on 13th May, New Delhi
  announced that it does not wish to carry out any
  further nuclear tests and henceforth adopted a
  no-first use (NFU) policy but it remained
  outside the NPT.

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Conclusion -

• The strong determination of Prime Minister
  Vajpayee and the remarkable feat of scientists of
  DAE including Former President APJ Abdul Kalam
  and BARC Chairman R Chidambaram ensured that
  India would never be subjected to any form of
  nuclear blackmail or intimidation in the future.
  The objective has been achieved.

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