1.
India’s First Nuclear Explosion (1974)
• Another crucial development of this period was the first nuclear
explosion undertaken by India in May 1974.
• Nehru had always put his faith in science and technology for rapidly
building a modern India.
• A significant component of his industrialisation plans was the nuclear
programme initiated in the late 1940s under the guidance of Homi J.
Bhabha.
• India wanted to generate atomic energy for peaceful purposes.
• Nehru was against nuclear weapons.
• So he pleaded with the superpowers for comprehensive nuclear
disarmament.
• However, the nuclear arsenal kept rising.
2. China’s Nuclear Test & NPT (1964–1968)
• When Communist China conducted nuclear tests in October 1964, the
five nuclear weapon powers, the US, USSR, UK, France, and China
(Taiwan then represented China) - also the five Permanent Members of
the UN Security Council - tried to impose the Nuclear Non-proliferation
Treaty (NPT) of 1968 on the rest of the world.
• India always considered the NPT as discriminatory and had refused to
sign it.
• When India conducted its first nuclear test, it was termed as peaceful
explosion.
• India argued that it was committed to the policy of using nuclear power
only for peaceful purposes.
3. Domestic Context During 1974 Nuclear Test
• The period when the nuclear test was conducted was a difficult period in
domestic politics.
• Following the Arab-Israel War of 1973, the entire world was affected by
the Oil Shock due to the massive hike in the oil prices by the Arab
nations.
• It led to economic turmoil in India resulting in high inflation.
• As you will read in Chapter Six, many agitations were going on in the
country around this time, including a nationwide railway strike.
4. Foreign Policy and Party Politics
• Although there are minor differences among political parties about how
to conduct external relations, Indian politics is generally marked by a
broad agreement among the parties on national integration, protection
of international boundaries, and on questions of national interest.
• Therefore, we find that in the course of the decade of 1962-1971, when
India faced three wars, or even later, when different Parties came to
power from time to time, foreign policy has played only a limited role in
party politics.
1. India’s Opposition to Non-Proliferation Treaties
• 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).
2. Nuclear Tests of 1998
• 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.
3. India’s Nuclear Doctrine
• India's nuclear doctrine of credible minimum nuclear deterrence
professes "no first use".
• It reiterates India's commitment to global, verifiable and non-
discriminatory nuclear disarmament leading to a nuclear weapons free
world.
1. Janata Party and Non-Alignment (1977)
• 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.
2. Key Concerns in Indian Foreign Policy
• In Indian politics and in popular mind, India's foreign policy is always very
closely linked to two questions:
o One is India's stand vis-à-vis Pakistan
o 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.
3. Post-1990 Foreign Policy Shifts
• 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.
4. Indo-Pakistan Relations
• 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.
• Cultural exchanges, movement of citizens and economic cooperation
would be encouraged by both countries.
• A train and a bus service operate between these two countries.
• This has been a major achievement of the recent times.
• But that could not avoid the near-war situation from emerging in 1999.
• Even after this setback to the peace process, efforts at negotiating
durable peace have been going on.