NUCLEAR POLICY OPTIONS: THE SATYAGRAHA APPROACH

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NUCLEAR POLICY OPTIONSTHE SATYAGRAHA APPROACH
INDIAN INITIATIVE FOR PEACE, ARMS-CONTROL
DISARMAMENT INPAD

• INPAD
• Initiative for Peace And Disarmament
• Pune, India

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Historical Background - I

• 1947 - Atomic Energy infrastructure established
• Military NOT involved in setting nuclear
  policy...............................till TODAY
• Scientists and bureaucrats in favor of weapons
  development...... Prime Minister Nehru refuses
• 1964 - China explodes nuclear weapon
• Prime Minister Shastri authorizes peaceful
  nuclear explosion..........though it was never
  executed

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Historical Background - II

• 1969 - Indian Space Research Organization
  established
• 1971 - Pakistani prime minister announces start
  of nuclear weapons program. Prime Minister
  Indira Gandhi approves underground nuclear test
• 1974 - Pokharan underground test. Mrs. Gandhi
  proclaimed - India supports a global ban on
  nuclear weapons - India will NOT sign Non
  Proliferation Treaty - India would keep all
  options open

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Historical Background - III

• 1974 - USA tightens technological controls
• 1984 - Mrs. Gandhi assassinated, leaving her
  nuclear strategy unclear
• Delhi-based, government sponsored group assumes
  monopoly of nuclear debate in India
• The group began referring to Indias strategy as
  on of ambiguity, enabling adoption of minimum
  deterrence at short notice if threatened.

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Current Status

• INPAD warns ambiguity could lead to accidents and
  miscalculations. Deterrence should be
  transparent to deter.
• INPAD asserts that nuclear strategy entails
  manned units with sophisticated C3I.
• End of Cold War revives Comprehensive Test Ban
  Treaty
• India makes lame excuses for not signing CTBT in
  Geneva. Venue was then shifted to UN General
  Assembly. India isolated in the debate.

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Pokharan - II

• May 1998 - Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) - led
  coalition government orders nuclear test
• Pakistan follows
• Sanctions imposed by USA on both countries
• Many in India want Nuclear Weaponization.
  ...............A few urge Complete Renunciation.

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Post-Pokharan

• INPAD identifies three security challenges to
  India- Internal stability- Pakistani
  cross-border terrorism- Strong Chinese military
  presence in Tibet
• NONE CAN BE COUNTERED BY NUCLEAR WEAPONS (NWs)
• INPAD, therefore, recommends a Middle Path
  between Weaponization and Renunciation and the
  adoption of resistance or SATYAGRAHA (Insistence
  on Truth) strategy

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The Satyagraha Approach

• Central Truths All NWs threaten survival of
  mankind. Indias security concerns not
  addressed by NWs
• The Resistance Strategy entails- Not signing
  NPT- Supporting universal capping and
  reduction of NWs- UN control of residual
  NWs- Signing CTBT and agreeing to discuss
  Fissile Material Control- Continuing overt
  development of NW and all delivery technologies

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Conclusion

• Indian nuclear potential is an insurance to
  safeguard its existence as a Civilizational
  state.
• India will fully develop and displays NW and
  delivery potential without deploying it and with
  a guarantee of No first use.
• India can urge arms control measures with
  authority FROM THE POSITION OF MORAL and PHYSICAL
  STRENGTH.
• India is ready to join all genuine arms control
  and impartial disarmament measures that are
  global,mandatory and fair.