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Express Tribune
5 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Impregnable and invincible
Listen to article As the nation proudly celebrated Youm-e-Takbeer, it was highly indebted to the luminary nuclear scientists, the visionary political leadership and the resilient civil, military bureaucracy that underwent all odds for decades, but never compromised on its security and sovereignty. The Chagai May 28, 1998 atomic tests were in response to India's provocative jingoism of 'Smiling Buddha', and surely Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan and Dr Samar Mubarakmand deserve our praise and salutation. Likewise, former PM Nawaz Sharif's apt decision to call the Indian bluff blessed Pakistan with the desired deterrence to stand tall among the comity of nations. This nuclear threshold has come to guard Pakistan as New Delhi opted for aggression early this month, and the befitting response from our armed forces and the nation is more than enough to keep the Hindutva-dispensation well within its limits. Pakistan, as the seventh nuclear power in the globe and the only one in the Islamic world, is a power to be reckoned with. Moreover, its impregnable defence exhibited its glory and the world, including India, today recognises its superiority in all forms and manifestations. The lethal response in self-defence, after four days of Indian onslaught, not only surprised the pundits of doom in India but also made global strategists come out in praise of Pakistan as it never let loose interstate and diplomatic ethics. Now is the time to build on that treasure trove and let the nation unite on a single cardinal principle: no to submission, and no compromise on security. There is an opportunity in disaster for India to start talking to Pakistan, and iron out the intricate differences on the diplomatic front. The two states have fought four wars: 1948, 1965, 1971 and 2025. More to it is the Kargil episode of 1999, and countless skirmishes, border clashes and intrusions. But the outcome is single-pointer: the dispute of Kashmir is in need of being resolved. Now India's shenanigans such as abrogating Kashmir's special status and suspending IWT are self-defeating in the long run. As Islamabad has offered to talk, it's time to demonstrate leadership and bury the hatchet for a better tomorrow.
News18
19-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Why Did Indira Gandhi Offer To Share India's Nuclear Technology With Pakistan In 1974?
Last Updated: US Embassy cables leaked by Wikileaks in 2013 reveal the offer came months after India's 1974 nuclear test, with Indira Gandhi's Parliament statement cited from July 22, 1974 Did Indira Gandhi once offered to share India's nuclear technology with Pakistan? According to US Embassy cables released by Wikileaks in 2013, this offer was made just months after India's first nuclear test, codenamed Smiling Buddha, in 1974. The cables mentioned Indira Gandhi's statement in Parliament on July 22, 1974. According to WikiLeaks, Indira Gandhi stated, 'I explained the peaceful and economic objectives of this test in a letter to (Zulfikar Ali) Bhutto and said that India is ready to share its nuclear technology with Pakistan, just as it does with other countries." The declassified US Embassy cables released by Wikileaks stated that after conducting the first nuclear tests in 1974, Indira Gandhi later extended a hand of cooperation by reportedly offering to share nuclear technology with the neighbouring country. According to the Wikileaks cables, Indira Gandhi made this offer in a letter to Pakistan's then-prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, explaining that India's nuclear ambitions were peaceful and economically driven, aimed at boosting oil and gas reserves. In her letter dated July 22, 1974, Gandhi dismissed Bhutto's concerns about radioactive leakage, asserting that the wind was not blowing towards Pakistan at the time of the test. This proposal reportedly came at a time of heightened tensions following the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, during which India had captured around 93,000 Pakistani soldiers. According to various accounts, many have since debated whether Indira Gandhi's decision to return these prisoners without securing a concrete agreement was a diplomatic misstep. Nevertheless, her reported offer three years later, to share nuclear technology with Pakistan was viewed by some as a significant peace initiative. However, according to sources, the offer was ultimately rejected by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Indira Gandhi's confidence in pursuing peaceful nuclear advancement was met with international scepticism and led to the imposition of strict technical sanctions on India. According to several reports, the formation of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) was a direct response, aimed at preventing countries outside the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), like India, from further developing their nuclear capabilities. Pakistan, meanwhile, went on to conduct its first nuclear test in 1998 just two weeks after India's second round of nuclear tests, signalling the start of a new phase in the regional arms race. The Wikileaks revelations have reignited debate on social media around this historic episode, with opinions divided on whether Indira Gandhi's offer to share nuclear technology was a genuine peace initiative or a politically naive move. Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published:
India.com
18-05-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Pokhran 1974: India's first nuclear test was delayed by 5 minutes due to...
Representational Image/AI-generated Pokhran nuclear test: On May 18, 1974, exactly 51 years ago, India shook the world by conducting its first nuclear test at the Indian Army's Pokhran Test Range, deep inside the barren Thar desert in Rajasthan. Under Pokhran-I, codenamed the 'Smiling Buddha', India successfully detonated a nuclear fission bomb, joining a select group of elite nations with nuclear weapons capability. Why India's first nuclear test was delayed? A little known incident from the historic day of May 18, 1974 is that India's first nuclear test faced a delay of around five minutes. Let us find out why. According to details, while all preparations for the nuclear test were complete, and a scaffold was set up five kilometers away where top military officials and scientists were to witness the detonation. As the scheduled time started winding down, scientist Virendra Sethi was asked to inspect the test site for one final time. However, after completing the inspection, Sethi's jeep broke down, forcing him walk two kilometers on foot to reach the control room, due to which the test was conducted at 8:05 AM, a five-minute delay from its scheduled time of 8 AM. How India's nuclear dream became a reality? India becoming a nuclear power as early as 1974, less than three decades after independence, was a remarkable achievement by a country which was still marred by economic and food insecurity, fought multiple wars with its hostile neighbors, defied the US hegemony, and yet showed the resilience and fortitude to become a strong military power. Apart from the iron-willed leadership of Indira Gandhi– India's then Prime Minister– the Pokhran nuclear test was the fruit of seven long years of hard work by a team of brilliant nuclear scientists at the Bhabha Atomic Research Center, who worked tirelessly on developing India's nuclear capabilities. The 75-member team, which also included India's rocket pioneer Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, led by then BARC director Dr. Raja Ramanna, worked laboriously from 1967 to 1974 on India's top secret nuclear project, which culminated with the country's first nuclear test on May 18, 1974. Dr Kalam would later go on to lead India's second series of nuclear test under Pokhran-II in 1998. India's Iron Lady Indira Gandhi and the Pokhran nuclear test During a 1972 visit to BARC, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had reported given verbal permission to scientists to build a plant for nuclear testing. The whole operation was highly classified, and no country, not even the United States, was kept in the loop, till the day of test. India's surprise nuclear test infuriated the US who imposed a wave of sanctions on the country, including halting the export of nuclear material and fuel to India. But during this crucial hour, India found support from the Soviet Union (USSR), a staunch adversary of the US during the Cold War days. Indira Gandhi's stance on nukes differed from Shastri, Nehru Notably, India's top political leadership differed in their opinion about whether India should weaponize nuclear capabilities. India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru maintained an ambivalent stance on the development of nuclear weapons, despite growing security concerns in wake of the 1962 India-China war, and Beijing's nuclear test at Lop Nur in 1964. Lal Bahadur Shastri, who succeeded Nehru as Prime Minister, also resisted domestic pressure for India to develop nuclear weapons, and instead attempted to secure security guarantees from nuclear powers during his 1964 UK visit. However, Indira Gandhi's stance on nuclear weapons are completely opposite to her predecessors, including her late father. After coming to power in 1966, Indira Gandhi essentially gave a green signal to BARC scientist to develop nuclear weapons capabilities, and ensured that the project was kept top secret, away from prying eyes of New Delhi's rivals, who could've attempted to sabotage the operation by any means possible. Ultimately, owning to Indira Gandhi's resolve, and the tireless hard work of our nuclear scientists, India conducted its first nuclear test on May 18, 1974, at the Pokhran Test Range in the remote Thar desert in Rajasthan.
Deccan Herald
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Congress hails Indira Gandhi's decisive leadership on 51st N-test anniversary
51 years ago, India conducted its first Nuclear Test, code named 'Smiling Buddha' and became the 6th nation in the world to carry out such tests. Our scientists and researchers achieved this extraordinary feat through their ingenuity and dedication. We are deeply grateful to… — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) May 18, 2025 18 मई 1974—भारत का गौरवशाली दिन, जब इंदिरा गांधी जी के नेतृत्व में 'स्माइलिंग बुद्धा' के माध्यम से देश ने पहला परमाणु परीक्षण सफलतापूर्वक पूरा किया। यह परीक्षण देश की वैज्ञानिक क्षमता और मजबूत राजनीतिक नेतृत्व का प्रतीक बन गया। — Congress (@INCIndia) May 18, 2025
India Gazette
18-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Mallikarjun Kharge extends greetings on 51 years of India's first nuclear test
New Delhi [India], May 18 (ANI): Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday extended congratulatory greetings on the 51st anniversary of India's first nuclear test codenamed 'Smiling Buddha' near Pokhran in Rajasthan. He credited the leadership of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi for the success of the operation despite many adversities. '51 years ago, India conducted its first Nuclear Test, code named 'Smiling Buddha' and became the 6th nation in the world to carry out such tests. Our scientists and researchers achieved this extraordinary feat through their ingenuity and dedication. We are deeply grateful to them,' Kharge posted on X. 'Indira Gandhi demonstrated exemplary and dynamic leadership, displaying remarkable courage even in the face of adversity, a legacy that endures,' the Congress leader said. On May 18, 1974, India became the sixth country to carry out its first nuclear test, shocking the entire world. A nuclear device was detonated in Rajasthan, near Pokhran, and the operation was code-named Smiling Buddha. The work for the nuclear test was approved by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1972, after which a team of scientists and other experts began working on the same at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). The Pokhran-I test was conducted underground in the remote Rajasthan desert, earning it the name of 'peaceful explosion' since it was carried out for non-military purposes. India became the first nation to conduct a nuclear test and the sixth country in line to do so, apart from the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). A team of 75 people, including scientists and engineers, worked on designing and developing the nuclear bomb. Follow this, India conducted its second nuclear test, known as Pokhran-II or Operation Shakti, in 1998 under former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Recently, the tensions between India and Pakistan following Operation Sindoor, launched by the Indian army in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, has rekindled debates about nuclear weapons, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that the nation would no longer tolerate nuclear blackmail and will respond to any terrorist attack with strict and decisive action. (ANI)
