25 years of N-test: Prestigious day, says Modi

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New Delhi, May 11

Twenty-five years ago on this day, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government conducted a nuclear test at Pokhran, Rajasthan, — the country’s second such test, the first being in 1974.

The 1990s was the time when the Cold War (1945-1991) had ended, Soviet Union had broken up, Pakistan was showing signs of flexing nuclear capabilities, India’s strategic planners were looking for a deterrent while China was a growing economic and military competitor. Just days before the test was carried out in 1998, Pakistan test-fired Ghauri —a missile acquired from North Korea.

India had faced sanctions

• India faced sanctions after the test. But in these 25 years, India has come a full circle; sanctions were lifted
• New Delhi now has a waiver at the NSG allowing import of dual use items; has a stockpile of 160 N-warheads
• New Delhi is among the four nuclear weapon-holding countries, which have not signed the NPT

The Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) of 1995 and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in 1997 meant India could no longer be ambiguous about its nuclear weaponry and it opted to come out in the open.

India faced sanctions after the test. But in these 25 years, India has come a full circle; sanctions were lifted. New Delhi now has a waiver at the Nuclear Supplier Group, allowing import of dual use items. India has a declared stockpile of 160 nuclear warheads.

New Delhi is among the four nuclear-weapon-holding countries, which have not signed the NPT.

India’s nuclear doctrine, released officially on January 4, 2003, had a “No First Use (NFU) nuclear posture”, but a massive retaliation against a first strike with an aim to inflict “unacceptable damage”. It also set up the Nuclear Command Authority headed by the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today termed May 11 as one of the most prestigious days in the history of India. “It marks the day when India’s scientists achieved the stupendous feat at Pokhran, which made the entire nation proud,” he added.

“The nuclear testing not only helped India prove its scientific capabilities, but also gave a boost to the global stature of the nation,” he said while addressing a gathering on National Technology Day.

At the same function, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests gave a message to the world that although India was a peace-loving nation, it would not let anyone harm the sovereignty, integrity and unity of the nation.

“India not only wishes peace for itself, but gives the message of peace to the world,” Rajnath Singh said.