INDIA'S NUCLEAR OPTIONDeepa Kylasam Iyer

OUR NUCLEAR STORYThe Nehruvian Era (1947-1964)- J. Nehru,

Homi Jehangir Bhabha, Dr. Brahm PrakashThe second phase (1964-1974)- Indira

Gandhi, Vikram Sarabhai, Dr. Raja Ramanna, P.K. Iyengar, Dr. R. Chidambaram, Dr. Sethna

The third phase (1987-1998)- Rajiv Gandhi, Narasimha Rao, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Dr. Anil Kakodkar, Dr. R. Chidambaram, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Dr. K. Santhanam

IAEC

DRDOBARC

INDIA’S NUCLEAR TRIPOD

OUR NUCLEAR STORY THROUGH THE YEARS

INDIA’S NUCLEAR DOCTRINEUniversal, comprehensive, non

discriminatory complianceNo first useMinimum credible deterrance

THE NEHRUVIAN ERA1948- Atomic energy for peaceful purposes1954- Standstill agreement1959- Suspension of nuke and thermo nuke

tests in UN agenda1964- Non proliferation of nuke weapons in

UN agenda

35000 nuke warheads

SOME INTERESTING OBSERVATIONS“The application of science is inevitable and

unavoidable for all countries and people today. But something more that its application is necessary. It is the scientific approach, the adventurous and yet the critical temper of science, the capacity to change previous conclusions in the face of new evidence, the reliance on observed fact and not on pre-conceived theory - all this is necessary not merely for the application of science, but for life itself and the solution of its many problems”

J. Nehru, 1946

"As long as the world is constituted as it is, every county will have to devise and use the latest scientific devices for its protection. I have no doubt that India will develop her scientific researches and I hope Indian scientists will use the atomic force for constructive purposes. But if India is threatened she will inevitably try to defend herself by all means at her disposal”

J. Nehru, 1946

“Apart from building power stations and developing electricity there is always a built-in advantage of defense use if the need should arise”

J. Nehru in a reply to Bhabha

"There was never a discussion among us over whether we shouldn't make the bomb. How to do it was more important. For us it was a matter of prestige that would justify our ancient past. The question of deterrence came much later. Also, as Indian scientists we were keen to show our Western counterparts, who thought little of us those days, that we too could do it.“

Dr. Raja Ramanna

THE TRUE NUCLEAR STORY1944- Bhabha’s request- TIFR (1945)15 April, 1948- Atomic Energy Act- IAEC3 January, 1954- Atomic Energy Est.,

Trombay3 August, 1954- DAE- Answered directly to

PM1955- 1 MW Apsara (British)1955- Canada India Research Reactor (14

MW), US heavy water1958- Phoenix1960-61- Tarapur (nuclear power plant)

1959- India China tension1961- China’s nuke operations begin1962- High level meeting at TIFR1962- Nehru passes revised Atomic Energy

Act (scarcely mentioning civilian application)27 May, 1964- Nehru passes away

THE ARCHITECTS OF INDIAN NUCLEAR PROGRAM

Nehru with Dr. Bhabha

Dr. Vikram Sarabhai

Dr. R. Chidambaram

Dr. P. K. Iyengar

Dr. Homi Sethna

Dr. Brahm Prakash

Dr. Santhanam