1974 curbs pushed India to nuclear self-reliance: Late scientist’s memoir

In his memoir India Rising: Memoir of a Scientist, the late atomic scientist Rajagopala Chidambaram revealed that the restrictions imposed on India in 1974 in the name of nuclear non-proliferation would have been imposed in any case.

He stated that these restrictions forced India to embark on the path of indigenisation, which ultimately paved the way for the covert operation of Pokhran II, during which the country conducted five nuclear bomb tests.

Chidambaram served as Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India for 17 years from November 2001 to March 2018. During his tenure as PSA, he worked with three Prime Ministers, including Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi.

A former Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), Chidambaram played a pivotal role in India’s historic nuclear tests in 1974 and 1998.

On May 18, 1974, India conducted a peaceful nuclear explosion (PNE) test named Pokhran-I. The whole operation was codenamed “Smiling Buddha”.

The test was held underground in the remote Rajasthan desert. Globally, it was seen as a display of India’s nuclear prowess, earning it recognition in the elite club.

India’s success also had many opponents, who raised concerns over nuclear weapons in the subcontinent. It had also put New Delhi under pressure for resuming atomic tests at a time when it was heavily dependent on external aid.

The atomic scientist said, “Soon after the test, restrictions were imposed on India that led us on a path of indigenisation. However, in my opinion, the restrictions imposed on us may have little to do with the test in 1974. They can be traced back to India’s decision not to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).”

“From 1968 onwards, it became clear that the NPT was a discriminatory treaty and India was not going to sign it. Restrictions, which were imposed in the name of nuclear non-proliferation, would have been imposed on India in any case,” Chidambaram wrote in his book.

The US rallied major nuclear suppliers to establish the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) — an export control cartel to regulate the transfer of nuclear materials and technology to non-NPT states.

The NSG imposed restrictive safeguards and export controls that amounted to effective denial of technology for India’s nuclear programme. The move made New Delhi lose access to critical nuclear fuel supplies and equipment from the US, Canada and other countries.

Despite odds, in a covert operation, ‘Pokhran-II’ was ultimately conducted in 1998, when the country conducted a series of five nuclear bomb explosions in May 1998 at the Army’s Pokhran Test Range. It was the country’s second successful nuclear attempt after 1974.