India's Nuclear Journey: A Story of Isolation to Recognition

India's nuclear journey has been fraught with challenges, international isolation, and eventual recognition as a responsible nuclear power.

The inception of India's nuclear program can be traced back to the visionary physicist Homi Bhabha, who convinced Prime Minister Nehru to invest in nuclear technology despite international reservations.

This led to India's first Peaceful Nuclear Explosion (PNE) in Pokhran in 1974, a significant achievement that triggered international backlash. The IAEA, major world powers, and even some fuel suppliers distanced themselves from India due to concerns about nuclear proliferation.

By the late 1990s, growing security concerns pushed India to conduct further nuclear tests in 1998. This resulted in further isolation and exclusion from crucial nuclear groups like the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).

However, India responded by formulating a distinct nuclear doctrine, which emphasized "No First Use," meaning it would only retaliate with nuclear weapons if another nuclear state initiated a strike.

This doctrine, rooted in the principles of necessity and proportionality, contrasts with Pakistan's "Full Spectrum Deterrence" policy, which allows for the potential first use of nuclear weapons under certain circumstances.

While estimates suggest India and Pakistan possess roughly the same number of warheads (around 150-160), Pakistan's arsenal is primarily focused on India, whereas India's nuclear capabilities consider both Pakistan and China, which has a significantly larger arsenal estimated at over 300 warheads.

India's strength lies in its sea-based nuclear deterrent, with the nuclear-powered submarine Arihant and a planned second platform. Additionally, its larger size provides a geographical advantage in dispersing its nuclear assets.

Over time, India's persistent diplomatic efforts have helped it emerge from isolation. It is now a recognized nuclear power, gets NSG waiver, and has bilateral nuclear agreements with several countries, including all major nuclear powers except China.

 

[Rational Guy]

India will not be global power until and unless we have more SSBNs with at least 5,000 KM SLBM and the hydrogen bomb. It must be proved beyond any doubt that India has hydrogen bomb.

 

[SK]

Indian needs to invest in Civil Nuckear Reactors, Nuclear Waste Reprocessing, SSBNs & SSNs to insure that NSG becomes redundant without India being it's member

 

[Kira]

India will not be global power until and unless we have more SSBNs with at least 5,000 KM SLBM and the hydrogen bomb. It must be proved beyond any doubt that India has hydrogen bomb.

Global power is having a great economy with a large manufacturing base and a being leading power in other crucial sectors not necessarily having a massive nuclear arsenal with hydrogen bombs.There is a huge difference between Russia and US today and that has hardly to do with hydrogen bombs.

 

[Sandeep]

If India wants to become a permanent member of the UNSC and China is not agreeing to allow us because we aren’t a member of the NSG then India should just enter and not give China any excuse to deny us a place. India is never going to provide any nuclear technology or weapons to another country so joining the NSG works in our favour as our interests align with the NSG.

India also needs to design and develop even bigger nuclear weapons like thermonuclear warheads which will increase our national security as no country would want the amount of damage that a thermonuclear weapon can do.

 

[Akshat]

If India wants to become a permanent member of the UNSC and China is not agreeing to allow us because we aren’t a member of the NSG then India should just enter and not give China any excuse to deny us a place. India is never going to provide any nuclear technology or weapons to another country so joining the NSG works in our favour as our interests align with the NSG.

India also needs to design and develop even bigger nuclear weapons like thermonuclear warheads which will increase our national security as no country would want the amount of damage that a thermonuclear weapon can do.

India can't become a member of NSG either because China isn't allowing it 🤣🤣 India has been trying for a long time now.

 

[Anant]

If India wants to become a permanent member of the UNSC and China is not agreeing to allow us because we aren’t a member of the NSG then India should just enter and not give China any excuse to deny us a place. India is never going to provide any nuclear technology or weapons to another country so joining the NSG works in our favour as our interests align with the NSG.

India also needs to design and develop even bigger nuclear weapons like thermonuclear warheads which will increase our national security as no country would want the amount of damage that a thermonuclear weapon can do.

You do realise that joining the NSG needs unanimous approval, right? China has been vetoing India's entry, but has shown a willingness to allow India to enter if Bhikaristan is also allowed in. Of course, in doing so, they say the technology they transferred to Bhikaristan would be grandfathered in.

 

[Sandeep]

You do realise that joining the NSG needs unanimous approval, right? China has been vetoing India's entry, but has shown a willingness to allow India to enter if Bhikaristan is also allowed in. Of course, in doing so, they say the technology they transferred to Bhikaristan would be grandfathered in.

India hasn’t and should join the non proliferation treaty as it’s just an agreement that states we would prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and technology which India was never going to do any of that anyway.

Afterwards we can have a strong chance of gaining membership in the NSG as China keeps on using our refusal to join the NPT as an excuse to deny us membership of NSG. Pakistan hasn’t joined the NPT either but if they refuse to join it then they are less likely to join the NSG. Also even if they tried to join then the west wouldn’t allow them because of their past history in selling nuclear secrets and weapons to North Korea.

 

[Sandeep]

India can't become a member of NSG either because China isn't allowing it 🤣🤣 India has been trying for a long time now.

It’s obvious they aren’t allowing us to join because they keep on using our refusal to join the NPT which is basically an agreement to stop the spread of nuclear weapons and technology which India never was anyway. Then it gives China one less excuse to deny us.

 

[Anant]

India hasn’t and should join the non proliferation treaty as it’s just an agreement that states we would prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and technology which India was never going to do any of that anyway.

Afterwards we can have a strong chance of gaining membership in the NSG as China keeps on using our refusal to join the NPT as an excuse to deny us membership of NSG. Pakistan hasn’t joined the NPT either but if they refuse to join it then they are less likely to join the NSG. Also even if they tried to join then the west wouldn’t allow them because of their past history in selling nuclear secrets and weapons to North Korea.

You haven't read the NPT, have you? The NPT classifies nations that had nuclear weapons till the start of 1967 or so as 'nuclear-weapon states'. Essentially, these are the P5. Every other state is called as a 'non-nuclear state'. The NPT says non-nuclear states would not develop or try to acquire nuclear weapons, and nuclear states would not try to transfer any such technology. In return, nuclear states would transfer technology for peaceful atomic purposes.

The problem with the NPT is that it never explains why exactly some nations can have nukes and others cannot, and why exactly thr 1967 date is the cut-off. Why not, say, 1975? The NPT was, and remains a pathetic attempt at creating a group of "nuclear haves" and "nuclear have-nots".

Technically speaking, India cannot and should not join the NPT since doing so would mean we would be beholden to dismantling our nuclear program.

Secondly, considering that China transferred nuclear technology to Bhikaristan after they signed the NPT, it is those idiots who are in violation. India gas never signed the NPT, and we never shall, as it should be.

 

[Akshat]

It’s obvious they aren’t allowing us to join because they keep on using our refusal to join the NPT which is basically an agreement to stop the spread of nuclear weapons and technology which India never was anyway. Then it gives China one less excuse to deny us.

So you want us to sign NPT??????

 

[Sandeep]

You haven't read the NPT, have you? The NPT classifies nations that had nuclear weapons till the start of 1967 or so as 'nuclear-weapon states'. Essentially, these are the P5. Every other state is called as a 'non-nuclear state'. The NPT says non-nuclear states would not develop or try to acquire nuclear weapons, and nuclear states would not try to transfer any such technology. In return, nuclear states would transfer technology for peaceful atomic purposes.

The problem with the NPT is that it never explains why exactly some nations can have nukes and others cannot, and why exactly thr 1967 date is the cut-off. Why not, say, 1975? The NPT was, and remains a pathetic attempt at creating a group of "nuclear haves" and "nuclear have-nots".

Technically speaking, India cannot and should not join the NPT since doing so would mean we would be beholden to dismantling our nuclear program.

Secondly, considering that China transferred nuclear technology to Bhikaristan after they signed the NPT, it is those idiots who are in violation. India gas never signed the NPT, and we never shall, as it should be.

The treaty is very old and let’s not forget that the Republic of China/Taiwan was a member of the P5 and not the People’s Republic of China. So already the other P4 members have circumvented that dilemma and should be able to do the same for India as technically they have just given an invading party/PRC status over what belonged to another as party/Taiwan. So technically China should never of been allowed to be a NPT and NSG.

 

[Sandeep]

So you want us to sign NPT??????

Signed as an official nuclear state. Not give up our weapons and nuclear power.

 

[Akshat]

Signed as an official nuclear state. Not give up our weapons and nuclear power.

That's not possible. NPT only recognizes states who tested a nuke before 1 Jan 1967 as nuclear powers. So either India gives up it's nukes or doesn't sign it. You can't do both.

 

[Sandeep]

That's not possible. NPT only recognizes states who tested a nuke before 1 Jan 1967 as nuclear powers. So either India gives up it's nukes or doesn't sign it. You can't do both.

They have to change the treaty or circumvent the treaty like they did with China. It was the republic of China/ Taiwan that was part of the P5 and signature to it. But the PRC was an invasion force that expanded the territory and took over from Taiwan. So already the original member was no longer the same person or government.

 

[Akshat]

They have to change the treaty or circumvent the treaty like they did with China. It was the republic of China/ Taiwan that was part of the P5 and signature to it. But the PRC was an invasion force that expanded the territory and took over from Taiwan. So already the original member was no longer the same person or government.

They didn't change it for China. The treaty clearly stated that anyone who had tested their bomb before the cut off date (1967) is allowed to have weapons. China, or PRC, had it. RoC had signed it as a non nuclear state. So no modifications were done. China only signed it and ratified it. Get your history in order before commenting.

 

[Oleg Olkha]

A West Germany Army Magazine, Wehrtechnik, in June 1976, claimed that Western reports documented a 1963 underground test in the Negev. (Israel) Other reports show a test at Al-Naqab, Negev in October 1966. Israel has all the evidence, but this calculated ambiguity:-for the time being this must be our secret. The answer to that question may not be long in cominf... https://nuke.fas.org/guide/israel/nuke/farr.htm This is the only broad area of study in this field. Regards and Shabbat Shalom...