Political Science · Ch 11 — India’s External Relations
India’s nuclear policy
India’s nuclear policy
India’s Nuclear Policy
India’s approach to nuclear energy and weapons has been shaped by a deep commitment to peaceful uses of atomic power, a consistent opposition to discriminatory international treaties, and a strategic doctrine of credible minimum deterrence. The story begins with the first nuclear explosion in May 1974, but the roots go back much further.
Jawaharlal Nehru placed great faith in science and technology as engines for building a modern India. A key part of his industrialisation plans was the nuclear programme, launched in the late 1940s under the guidance of physicist Homi J. Bhabha. India’s original goal was to generate atomic energy for peaceful purposes only. Nehru personally opposed nuclear weapons and repeatedly urged the superpowers to pursue comprehensive nuclear disarmament. Yet the global nuclear arsenal kept growing.
When Communist China conducted its first nuclear test in October 1964, the five existing nuclear weapon powers — the US, USSR, UK, France, and China (then represented by Taiwan) — tried to lock in their monopoly. These five nations are also the Permanent Members of the UN Security Council. In 1968, they pushed the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) onto the rest of the world. India always saw the NPT as fundamentally discriminatory: it allowed the five nuclear states to keep their arsenals while denying everyone else the same right. India refused to sign it.
In May 1974, India conducted its first nuclear test. The government called it a “peaceful explosion” and reiterated its commitment to using nuclear power only for peaceful purposes. The timing was difficult domestically. The Arab-Israel War of 1973 had triggered an Oil Shock — Arab nations hiked oil prices massively, causing economic turmoil worldwide. India faced high inflation, a nationwide railway strike, and widespread agitations. Despite these pressures, the test reflected India’s long-held position: it would not accept a treaty that divided the world into nuclear haves and have-nots.
Indian politics has generally seen broad agreement among major parties on core national interest issues — national integration, protection of borders, and foreign policy on nuclear matters. Even when different parties came to power after 1977, foreign policy played only a limited role in party politics. The Janata Party government (1977) announced it would follow “genuine non-alignment,” correcting the pro-Soviet tilt of earlier years. Since then, all governments — Congress or non-Congress — have worked to restore better relations with China and build closer ties with the US.
In the post-1990 period, two questions have dominated public discussion of India’s foreign policy: India’s stand vis-à-vis Pakistan, and Indo-US relations. Ruling parties have often been criticised for a pro-US tilt. But foreign policy is always driven by national interest. After 1990, Russia — though still an important friend — lost its global pre-eminence. Economic interests began to weigh more heavily than military ones. India’s foreign policy therefore shifted to a more pro-US strategy.
Indo-Pakistan relations have seen many ups and downs. Kashmir remains the main issue, but both countries have made efforts to restore normal relations — encouraging cultural exchanges, movement of citizens, and economic cooperation. A bus service and a train service now operate between the two countries, a major achievement of recent times. Yet this could not prevent a near-war situation in 1999. Even after that setback, efforts at negotiating durable peace have continued.
Fast Forward: India’s Nuclear Programme
India’s opposition to non-proliferation treaties hardened over time. The core objection remained the same: these treaties were selectively applicable to non-nuclear powers and legitimised the monopoly of the five nuclear weapon states. India therefore opposed the indefinite extension of the NPT in 1995 and also refused to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).
In May 1998, India conducted a series of nuclear tests, this time openly demonstrating its capacity to use nuclear energy for military purposes. Pakistan soon followed with its own tests, increasing the vulnerability of the entire region to a nuclear exchange. The international community was extremely critical. Sanctions were imposed on both India and Pakistan, though these were later waived. …
As you will read in Chapter Six and also in Chapter Eight, many non-Congress governments came to power in the period starting 1977. This was also the time when world politics was changing dramatically. What did it mean for India’s external relations? The Janata Party government that came to power in 1977 announced that it would follow genuine non-alignment. This implied that the pro-Soviet tilt in the foreign policy will be corrected. Since then, all governments (Congress or non-Congress) have taken initiatives for restoring better relations with China and entering into close ties with US. In Indian politics and in popular mind, India’s foreign policy is always very closely linked to two questions. One is India’s stand vis-à-vis Pakistan and the other is Indo-US relations. In the post-1990 period the ruling parties have often been criticised for their pro-US foreign policy. Foreign policy is always dictated by ideas of national interest. In the period after 1990, Russia, though it continues to be an important friend of India, has lost its global pre- eminence. Therefore, India’s foreign policy has shifted to a more pro-US strategy. Besides, the contemporary international situation is more influenced by economic interests than by military interests. This has also made an impact on India’s foreign policy choices. At the same time, Indo-Pakistan relations have witnessed many new developments during this period. While Kashmir continues to be the main issue between the two countries, there have been many efforts to restore normal relations. This means that cultural exchanges, movement of citizens and economic cooperation would be encouraged by both countries. Do you kn …
India has opposed the international treaties aimed at non-proliferation since they were selectively applicable to the non-nuclear powers and legitimised the monopoly of the five nuclear weapons powers. Thus, India opposed the indefinite extension of the NPT in 1995 and also refused to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). India conducted a series of nuclear tests in May 1998, demonstrating its capacity to use nuclear energy for military purposes. Pakistan soon followed, thereby increasing the vulnerability of the region to a nuclear exchange. The international community was extremely critical of the nuclear tests in the subcontinent and sanctions were imposed on both India and Pakistan, which were subsequently waived. India’s nuclear doctrine of credible minimum nuclear deterrence professes “no first …