India@77: How India became a nuclear power despite all odds

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Moscow had left thousands of nuclear weapons stationed on the newly independent Ukrainian soil. Ukraine decided to denuclearize and gave up its nuclear weapons in exchange for security guarantees from three countries- the US, the UK and Russia under the Budapest Memorandum (1994). Then hailed as a triumph of arms control, less than 30 years later, one of the guarantors attacked Ukraine. 
There is a lesson and that brings us to India’s decision to acquire nuclear weapons. As the country celebrates its 77th Independence Day, let’s have a look at India’s nuclear journey. How a country which began as a proponent of peace and non-violence went to test highly destructive nuclear devices within a few decades of its independence. 

India’s humble beginnings 

India, after gaining independence in 1947, was facing several challenges- from ensuring food security to building infrastructure to hostilities on the borders. However, despite all this India pursued nuclear ambitions, initially for civilian causes which later turned into military capabilities. 
India’s nuclear programme traces its origin back to 1945 when Homi Bhabha founded the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (Nuclear Research Centre) and the first reactor, Apsara was built, in 1956. The journey kicked off with the initial contributions of Homi J Bhabha, first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, and former PM Lal Bahadur Shashtri, Dorabji Tata among others. 

When did India feel the need to acquire nuclear weapons? 

India was a proponent of peace and non-violence on the global stage, however, surrounded by two hostile neighbours- China and Pakistan and having fought 4 wars (1948, 1962, 1965 and 1971), India decided to acquire nuclear weapons as it could act as a deterrent to the aggression of the neighbours. With the defeat of China in 1962, the Indian Government decided to pursue military use of nuclear power. 
In the aftermath of the 1971 Indo-Pak war, having lessons from the past, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi authorised work on a fission device. The operation was called ‘Smiling Buddha’. Seventy-five scientists and engineers at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) worked on the project which was indigenously developed. 

When Buddha smiled in Pokhran! 

The test was conducted on May 18, 1974, at Rajasthan's Pokhran range. The Indian Government then referred to it as a “peaceful explosion” that would complement the country's development. 
What followed the explosion was sanctions from the Western world. However, India maintained firm on its stand and refused to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty. In 1968, after the US, the UK, France, China and Russia had tested their nuclear bombs. Later, the group came up with the Non-Proliferation Treaty to prevent the non-nuclear states from acquiring or manufacturing nuclear weapons.

Nuclear winter and India’s bounce back 

India battled economic sanctions and the relief came only after the LPG (Liberalisation, Privatisation and Globalization) reforms. However, there was a nuclear winter after Operation Smiling Buddha. The PV Narasimha Rao Government did try to relaunch India’s nuclear programme but was forced to halt the project after being caught red-handed by American satellites hovering over the Indian subcontinent. 
India realised its nuclear ambitions during PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure, when India tested 5 nuclear bombs, both fission and fusion, namely Shakti-1,2,3,4,5 between May 11-13, 1998. India was a nuclear-armed State by now, however, PM Vajpayee declared a moratorium on nuclear tests and laid out the infamous ‘No First Use Doctrine,’ which means that India would not use nuclear weapons first. 

The emergence of India on the global stage 

The Western powers were taken aback by India’s endeavours and sanctions followed. The US President directed India to “halt its nuclear program and join the countries singing CTBT (Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty).” However, India was in a better economic condition as compared to the previous tests. 

Under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, India signed an agreement with the United States to cooperate in civil nuclear power. Through the Indo-US nuclear deal, India gained a special waiver which allowed it to cooperate with other countries on the nuclear front and separate its civilian and military programmes related to nuclear energy. 
India, in its journey as an independent nation, not only acquired nuclear power but also emerged as a responsible nuclear state, thus strengthening New Delhi’s geopolitical outreach.