India always believed in peace and she has always promoted it by all means. She was never in favour of manufacturing a nuclear bomb which only brings ruin and disaster to millions of people. But as many countries whether developed or developing, have conducted many nuclear tests, it became a necessity for our country to go nuclear.
Further, the rising trend of intervention by the industrialized nations in the internal affairs of developing nations among which India is also one, was one of the main reasons which compelled India to divert her nuclear resources towards nuclear weapons. It was an urgent need to protect our national security, because national development depends on it. Development is inseparable from national security. And finally India conducted three nuclear tests on May 11, 1998 and two more tests on May 13, 1998 in Pokhran.
But India's stand on the role of nuclear weapons is quite clear. She is not in race with any other nuclear power. She has exercised her nuclear option without violating any international obligations in order to deter the threats that would have compromised her national security. India is very much clear on this point that she will employ nuclear energy for peaceful purposes only. And what is more important is that India affirms her commitment to no-first-use of nuclear weapons and not using these weapons against those countries which are non-nuclear weapon states. Nuclear weapons will only be used in retaliation against a nuclear attack on Indian territory or on Indian forces elsewhere. Thus India's main objective to have nuclear weapons is to provide a solid base to the national security system. She is sure that she will never misuse her nuclear capability.
Thus India's nuclear policy is very much responsible. It aims at providing minimum credible deterrent. The most significant aspect of the policy is that it is intimately tied up with continued commitment to total nuclear disarmament, which is the need of the hour. Nuclear weapons are deadly weapons and nuclear war would result in total destruction as
the whole planet would be totally devastated and survivors would face terrible conditions. Hence, it is necessary to speak out against the nuclear armament. Nuclear energy must be used for peaceful purposes and India wishes arms race should be stopped by all means.
But it is unfortunate that the five major nuclear powers are reluctant to give up their monopoly over production and deployment of nuclear weapons while denying a similar privilege to other countries. Under these circumstances, it is really an admirable step for India to have nuclear weapons so that others may not befool us or they may not take an aggressive turn against us.
Thus India's nuclear policy is highly appreciating and others should follow it in order to maintain peace in the world. But we have Pakistan in our neighborhood which has no belief in the principle of no-first use of nuclear weapons. Pakistan maintains the first strike option in its nuclear policy 1 and has refused to sign an agreement on no-first-use. Whatever
may be the attitude of other countries, India is firm in her decision and is not going misuse her nuclear capability
