OPERATION SMILING BUDDHA
INDIA’S TRYST WITH NUCLEAR CLUB
SARASIJ
MAJUMDER
Operation Smiling Buddha was the assigned code name of
India’s first successful nuclear bomb test on 18 May 1974. The bomb was
detonated on the army base Pokhran Test Range, in Rajasthan, by the Indian Army
under the supervision of several key Indian generals, and Scientists.
It was designated as Pokhran – I by the Ministry of External
Affairs. Pokhran-I was also the first confirmed nuclear weapons test by a
nation outside the five permanent members of the United
Nations Security Council. (UNSC)
Origins of Operation Smiling Buddha:
With the foundation of the Tata Institute of Fundamental
Research in 1944, India’s march to becoming a nuclear power had begun.
A formation of a nuclear weapons programme was sanctioned
upon India’s independence on recommendation of Dr. Meg Nad Saha by Mr.
Jawaharlal Nehru. Homi J. Bhabha, a
professor at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, was leading the
programme. For his efforts, he would soon come to be knowns as “the father of
the Indian Nuclear Programme”. India was also heavily involved in the
development of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty but decided to
opt-out of it as it became abundantly clear that the nuclear powers of the time
were only keen on preserving their hegemony in world powers.
Earlier, the focus was on peaceful development but in 1954,
Homi Bhabha began focusing on weapons design and production. For this
purpose the establishment of Trombay Atomic Energy was Established at Mumbai (Bombay), and the
creation of a governmental agency on August 3, 1954 – the Department
of Atomic Energy (DAE) were pivotal moments of the Indian Nuclear weapons
programme.
When Lal Bahadur Shastri (B: 2 October 1904.
D: 11 January 1966) became the Prime Minister, the pace of the nuclear
weapons programme was slowed due to him appointing Vikram Sarabhai as the head
of the nuclear programme. Due to his Gandhian beliefs, Vikram Sarabhai switched
the focus of the programme for peaceful purposes rather than military
applications.
It was only upon Indira Gandhi becoming Prime Minister in
1967, the work on the programme was renewed with much vigour and weapons-grade
plutonium was developed as a result.
Homi Sethna, a chemical engineer, played a significant role
in the development of weapon-grade plutonium.
In order to maintain operational secrecy and functionality,
the staff was limited to 75 engineers and scientists from 1967-74. APJ Abdul
Kalam, the future president of India would be the representative of the DRDO.
The Data On Detonation Of The Nuclear Device:
The device was of the implosion-type design and had a close
resemblance to the American nuclear bomb called the Fat Man, which had
destroyed the Japanese city of Nagasaki many decades earlier, which caused
surrender of Japan, ending Second World War.
The fully assembled device had a hexagonal cross-section,
1.25 metres in diameter, and weighed 1400 kg. The device was detonated when the
firing button was pushed at 8.05 a.m. on the D-DAY; it was in a shaft 107 m
deep in Pokhran test range, under the
control of army in the Thar Desert.
The nuclear yield of this test still remains controversial,
with unclear data provided by Indian sources, although Indian politicians have
given the country’s press a range from 2 kt to 20 kt. I later checked with a
DRDO scientist—who confirmed on condition of anonymity that it was probably
between 8—10 kt.
The implosion system was assembled at the DRDO's TBRL in
Chandigarh, and the detonation system was developed at the DRDO's HEMRL in
Pune. The plutonium came from the CIRUS reactor at BARC, and the neutron
initiator was of Polonium-Beryllium type.
Aftermath Of Operation Smiling Buddha:
The Test
Received Mixed Reactions From The International Community. Some
countries criticized India for breaking the global moratorium on nuclear
testing, while others supported India's right to defend itself.
KGB may be aware, but we have not got much adverse reaction
from Russia. Russia, however, continued
to provide Nuclear Fuel for Tarapore, when other countries stopped it.
Canada stopped all work on two Nuclear Reactors they were assisting
us to build. This delayed our Nuclear Energy Programme. In my opinion—we haven’t surrendered our rights in the
agreement of supply—we might have a ‘CONTRACTUAL POSITION’ in this case. But, documents
are not accessible to me.
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s popularity soared farther
after the nuclear test which had considerably stagnated since the end of the
1971 Indo-Pak war. In fact—Shimla Agreement was a DAMP SQUIB. The
improvement in her image also managed to improved prospects of the Congress
Party overall when the NEWS was well-received in the Parliament of India.
Despite India’s continued statements, and clarifications
that the test was done for peaceful purposes, there was harsh opposition from
the International community. The Nuclear
Suppliers Group (NSG) was formed as a result of the Indian tests to
check International Nuclear Proliferation. The NSG came to the conclusion that
many safeguards were required for any future nuclear export deals. This meant
that there would not be any more nuclear exports to India. The restriction were
waived off in the wake of the Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement of
2008, for which Mr. Manmohan Singh, the then P.M. was taking initiative.
PAKISTAN ANGLE:-
Pakistan never for a moment believed India’s statement about
the tests being for peaceful purposes. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Zulfikar
Ali Bhutto reiterated that Pakistan would never succumb to India’s nuclear
bullying or accept “Indian hegemony over the subcontinent”. The nuclear tests
done by India would see Pakistan plunge headlong into its own quest to obtain
nuclear weapons, by stealing, or otherwise.
This is where India faltered. India never thought that
Pakistan will also be able to become a NUCLEAR POWER state.
India should have been extra vigil on this aspect, and
through aggressive espionage, and subversive actions, should have eliminated
the threat, like Israel did for Iran..
However—China would have seen to it that Pakistan achieves
parity, but before that we should have sorted out K-issue militarily.
Our biggest success was that CIA was completely unaware till
the detonation took place.
ACHIEVEMENT:-
Regardless of the consequences which were bound to be
temporary, Operation Smiling Buddha is one of the greatest events in the history
of modern independent India. India was
the first country not holding VITO power, yet dared to cross the BOUNDARY.
Certainly—it helped us to become self-reliant in Défense.
With our advanced missile technology—we are having enough deterrent power now.
The country has identified nuclear ores from which a total
of about 78,000 tonnes of Uranium and
about 518,000 tonnes of Thorium can be extracted.
SOURCE:-- All data, and information are available in PUBLIC
DOMAIN. However—the information are scattered, and I only compiled.
Image:- Google.
Comments
Post a Comment