India conducted its first successful nuclear weapons test in 1974. Due to this test, a nuclear suppliers group was formed to curb the misuse of nuclear weapons and testing. NSG is also formed to stop the export of materials and technology that could be utilised to create hazardous nuclear weapons. In 1998, a series of 5 tests were conducted again, after completion of which India named itself a de facto nuclear state. 

The Concept Of Nuclear Doctrine

• A nuclear doctrine specifies how a nuclear weapon nation will use its nuclear weapons in both times of war and peace.

• The doctrine aids in the establishment of prevention in the face of an adversary.

• Nuclear doctrine can communicate a state’s intention and resolve to the enemy.

• During a war, the principle also guides the state’s reaction.

Historical Background Of Nuclear Doctrine

• India’s nuclear programme was established in the late 1940s under the direction of Homi J. Bhabha.

• Nehru was opposed to nuclear weapons, so he made a plea with the great powers for total nuclear disarmament. Even so, the nuclear arsenal continued to grow.

• When Communist China executed nuclear tests in October 1964, the five nuclear powers (the United States, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, France, and China), as well as the five Permanent Members of the United Nations Security Council, attempted to impose the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) on the rest of the world.

• India conducted its first nuclear explosion in May 1974.

• India maintained that it was devoted to using nuclear power only for humanitarian purposes.

• In 1995, India opposed the NPT’s indefinite extension and declined to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).

• In May 1998, India carried out a series of nuclear tests to demonstrate its use of nuclear energy for military purposes.

• Pakistan quickly followed, increasing the region’s vulnerability to a nuclear exchange.

• Following the 1998 nuclear test, India also declared a policy of “No First Use” (NFU) of nuclear weapons.

Is there any need for a change in nuclear doctrine?

No, currently, no change is required in the nuclear doctrine of India. 

• India’s current doctrine has aided the country in securing critical international agreements, such as the Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG) waiver as part of the Indo-US nuclear deal in 2008.

• India signed a nuclear partnership agreement with Japan more recently, which is surprising given Japan’s staunch anti-nuclear stance and India’s non-signatory status to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

• India is actively trying to become a regular member of the NSG, a doctrinal shift that will only give China more reasons to postpone India’s entry. This stance would also fall into the hands of Pakistan, which has long accused India of deception regarding its no-first-use policy and has characterised India’s expanding arsenal as a threat to regional stability.

Why were nuclear weapons necessary for India?

• The then-prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, was sceptical but left the door open for future references.

• This future was lured early on after India’s defeat in the Sino-Indian War in 1962 sparked legitimate national defence concerns.

• Then, in 1974, India performed its first nuclear test at Pokhran in Rajasthan, codenamed “Smiling Buddha.”

• The test was described as a “peaceful nuclear explosion” by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

• India demonstrated to the world that it could defend itself in a crisis by choosing not to weaponise the nuclear device tested at Pokhran right away.

The Benefits of No First Use policy (NFU)

• The NFU policy encourages a limited nuclear weapons programme devoid of tactical weapons and a complex command and control system.

• The doctrine reduces the likelihood of nuclear use by ignoring weapons on high alert and preventing an arms race.

• The doctrine also reduces the possibility of unnecessary chaos by putting the onus of deciding whether or not to escalate nuclear use on the adversary.

• Strict adherence to the doctrine can help India gain a subscription to the Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG) and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

The Repercussions of NFU Abandonment for India

• The decision to withdraw the NFU policy and make a public statement may impact India’s reputation as a responsible nuclear power.

• Such a move would undermine India’s dedication to the universal goal of nuclear disarmament and upend the subcontinent’s regional balance.

• Furthermore, abandoning the doctrine would signal India’s intention to use conventional weapons first, lowering the space for conventional warfare below the nuclear limit. This could also erode India’s ability to constrain Pakistan’s counterattacks and policies at the foundational level.

• Furthermore, revising the doctrine will not deter China’s expansionist policies; rather, abandoning the doctrine will intentionally signal China’s incitement.

Pokhran II

• India’s fence-sitting ended with the Pokhran II tests in 1998 when it exploded another device at Pokhran.

• The mission, codenamed Operation Shakti, was launched on May 11, 1998.

• The tests included five detonations, the first of which was a fusion bomb, and the remaining four were nuclear fusion bombs.

• On May 11, one fusion and two fission bombs were checked, followed by two more fission bombs on May 13.

• India reached its aim of developing fission and thermonuclear weapons with yields of up to 200 kilotons with the tests.

Consequences Of Pokhran II

• Following Pokhran-II, Vajpayee proclaimed India a nuclear state, making it the sixth nation to do so.

• Unlike in 1974, India chose to actively develop its nuclear capabilities this time, and the tests were preceded by economic sanctions imposed by the United States and Japan. The sanctions were eventually lifted.

Conclusion

If another attack occurs, then these nuclear weapons can be used. But it remains unclear how far India will go to conquer its enemies. India has so far conducted two successful nuclear tests.