Pokhran: The explosion that changed India's identity

After the independence, various countries started to show their dominant role over India. Pakistan started a war within two months after independence.

In 1947 October, Pakistan army beat up India to make Kashmir as part of Pakistan and India also lost some area to Pakistan and  Pakistan Continued to strike on India in various ways. As India was facing a tough time with Pakistan, china also played its part to make it even worse. In 1962, China initiated a war against India due to issues in borders of India - china. Every other countries continued to show dominant action towards India but India didn't capitulate. 

India achieved its dignity and raised back like a phoenix bird with a phenomenal aspect of nuclear weapon test. The Prime Minister Indira Gandhi initiated nuclear weapons to show the world that India is also advanced in science and showed the strength of the Indian army. 

Pokhran nuclear test uplifted India's power in world over superior countries like America, Soviet Russia, China etc.. And India faced many struggles and was not allowed to easily conduct the nuclear test as it was considered as prestigious by developed countries. 

Evolution of the nuclear test 

For conducting a nuclear test India had primarily two ways, Either they need to get the nuclear weapon from a developed country, or they should make it on their own. 

Most developed countries won't provide their weapons easily, even though they provide, they will not reveal the minuteness of the weapon completely. so India confidently chose the second way to procure its prestigious identity. 

Problems in manufacturing nuclear weapons inside India

India was insufficient with uranium and plutonium at that period and also lacked in knowledge over formulation and method of nuclear production. Then the Indian government came out with an strategy. 

From the nuclear power plants, in which Uranium was  broken to gain electricity and it gave Plutonium as its substituents along with other compounds. The Plutonium is used as  the raw material for nuclear weapons. So Indian government decided to use nuclear power plants to manufacture nuclear weapons and with the experienced scientists who Worked in nuclear power plants. 

At this mean time we need to know about Homi Jehangir Bhabha

Homi Jehangir Bhabha, known to be the father of nuclear weapons in India, performed an enormous role.

 In 1945, he established the Tata Institute for Fundamental Research in Bombay and Atomic Energy Commission later. 

In 1948, Nehru appointed Bhabha as the director of the nuclear program and tasked Bhabha to develop the nuclear weapons.

 He established power plant and brought out the formulation and method of manufacturing electricity with nuclear power station from foreign countries to India.

 His motive did not end with generating power from nuclear fission, it extended to manufacture nuclear weapons.  

He was the person who initiated the importance of developing nuclear reactors in India to Nehru. 

After that, India started developing nuclear reactor in India. CIRUS Nuclear reactor was developed with the help of America and Canada. 

The day India stunned other countries 

At the time of the nuclear test, Indira Gandhi courageously refused to approve the agreement of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty which remained a shock to all countries. 

Subsequently the manufacturing of nuclear weapons was performed remarkably fast under the supervision of Raja Ramanna. There were more than 70 scientists(P.K. Iyengar, R. Chidambaram, N.S. Venkatesan and many) who sincerely worked for this without barely allowing a piece of information out And finally the nuclear weapon was ready by 1972. 

Raja Ramanna insisted Indira Gandhi to test this weapon on May 18, 1974, in Pokhran, Rajasthan And Indira Gandhi accepted this and on the auspicious day (Buddha Purnima), Under the supervision of the Indian generals, a bomb was detonated on army base Pokhran Test Range.(PTR) successfully at 8.05 am. This was recognized to be a peaceful nuclear explosion till date.

As an reflect Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the prime minister of Pakistan who considered the success of India in an extremely challenging way and insisted his scientists to complete the nuclear weapon creation process rapidly. 

They did the research on both Uranium and Plutonium for nuclear weapons. And this was supported by China and Libya. But later after the death of Bhutto, the ambition of this was successful by Muhammad Khan Junejo. 

Though it was stated, that Pakistan was successful in discovering nuclear weapons in 1980, it was officially announced in 1998. And this was due to the second ultimate test of nuclear weapons conducted in Pokhran.

Though the nuclear weapon designed in the period of Indira Gandhi was well, it was not effective to be carried by planes and missiles so The Pokhran 2 was made under the effective supervision of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam insisted by then prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao. It was drafted to be tested in 1995 but due to issues made by America, it was withdrawn. 

Atal Bihari Vajpayee remain the prominent person who was extremely determined to test the nuclear weapons after the considerable discussion with the scientists. The nuclear weapons were examined successfully on May 11, 1998. Because of this, India suffered many economic crises, but Vajpayee managed it very cleverly. 

Though India has developed enormous nuclear weapons, it is perceived to be used merely for caution or warning purposes and India always love to follow ahimsa way only.