India’s Nuclear Policy and Shifting Alliances

• India’s Nuclear Policy:
  • First Nuclear Explosion (May 1974): A crucial development of this period.
  • Nehru’s Vision: Placed faith in science and technology for rapidly building a modern India.
  • Nuclear Programme Initiation: Began in the late 1940s under the guidance of Homi J. Bhabha, aiming to generate atomic energy for peaceful purposes.
  • Nehru on Nuclear Weapons: Was against nuclear weapons and pleaded with the superpowers for comprehensive nuclear disarmament, though the nuclear arsenal kept rising.
  • NPT (Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty) 1968: After China’s nuclear tests in October 1964, the five nuclear weapon powers (US, USSR, UK, France, China/Taiwan) tried to impose NPT on the rest of the world.
  • India’s Stance on NPT: India considered the NPT discriminatory and refused to sign it.
  • “Peaceful Explosion”: India’s first nuclear test in 1974 was termed a “peaceful explosion,” with India asserting its commitment to using nuclear power only for peaceful purposes.
• Domestic Context of 1974 Nuclear Test:
  • A difficult period in domestic politics.
  • Oil Shock (1973): Following the Arab-Israel War of 1973, a massive hike in oil prices by Arab nations led to economic turmoil and high inflation in India.
  • Internal Agitations: Many agitations, including a nationwide railway strike, were ongoing around this time.
• Consensus in Foreign Policy:
  • Despite minor differences, Indian politics generally shows broad agreement among parties on national integration, protection of international boundaries, and national interest.
  • Foreign policy played a limited role in party politics, even during the three wars between 1962-1971, and later when different parties came to power.
• India’s Nuclear Programme (Fast Forward):
  • Opposition to Non-Proliferation Treaties: India opposed international treaties like NPT (indefinite extension in 1995) and CTBT (Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty) because they were selectively applicable to non-nuclear powers and legitimised the monopoly of the five nuclear weapons powers.
  • Nuclear Tests 1998: India conducted a series of nuclear tests in May 1998, demonstrating its capacity to use nuclear energy for military purposes. Pakistan soon followed, increasing regional vulnerability to a nuclear exchange.
  • International Reaction: The international community was extremely critical, imposing sanctions on both India and Pakistan, which were subsequently waived.
  • Nuclear Doctrine: India’s nuclear doctrine of credible minimum nuclear deterrence professes “no first use” and reiterates India’s commitment to global, verifiable, non-discriminatory nuclear disarmament leading to a nuclear weapons free world.
• Shifting Alliances in World Politics:
  • Post-1977 Era: Many non-Congress governments came to power starting 1977, coinciding with dramatic changes in world politics.
  • “Genuine Non-Alignment”: The Janata Party government that came to power in 1977 announced following “genuine non-alignment,” implying a correction of the pro-Soviet tilt in foreign policy.
  • Post-Cold War Shift: All subsequent governments (Congress or non-Congress) have taken initiatives for restoring better relations with China and entering into close ties with the US.
  • Key Foreign Policy Questions: India’s foreign policy is always very closely linked to its stand vis-à-vis Pakistan and Indo-US relations.
  • Post-1990 Pro-US Shift: After 1990, Russia lost its global pre-eminence, influencing India’s foreign policy to shift towards a more pro-US strategy, though Russia continues to be an important friend.
  • Economic Interests: The contemporary international situation is more influenced by economic interests than by military interests, impacting India’s foreign policy choices.
  • Indo-Pakistan Relations Post-1990: Kashmir remains the main issue, but many efforts have been made to restore normal relations, including cultural exchanges, movement of citizens, and economic cooperation (e.g., train and bus services).

Kargil Setback: These efforts, however, could not prevent the near-war situation from emerging in 1999. Efforts for durable peace continue despite this setback