“Smiling Buddha” was the code name for the nuclear missile which was test-launched by India on 18th May, 1974. I am tempted to use the clichéd quote to suit my opening statement “A small step…”. Yet it was never really a small step and probably the most debated even. Should India go in for indigenously developing a nuclear program? India was skeptic in the beginning despite China and Pakistan going ahead with their nuclear enabled security strategy respectively. But now nuclear energy is centered on the construct of security and on top of that strategic as well. It was a paradigm shift for the world in terms of its power projection Now you don’t need to invest in millions or billions of any currency in sending human resources in the form of armed forces and utilizing other expensive security resources for maintain proactive or defensive power at our borders.
This is where the whole world was changing when nuclear security started to come to the forefront. A new dimension of military science spread around the world beginning in the 1960’s. The Cold War era, which started with the end of World War II, had triggered the arms race to a new front. Nuclear weapons became the new buzz word for strategic security. During this period, the USA was pitted against the USSR not only in terms of economic ideology but the show of strength in military and politics across the globe. This is where the development of nuclear weapons started to spread across other aspirational nations which were leaning either on side of the then USSR or the USA. This began with what is known as the Manhattan Project. However, the whole ball game of nuclear weapons development has now changed with the involvement of countries which have not signed the NPT or the CTBT. Both these treaties were significant safety vaults for nuclear non-proliferation, sponsored by the US government. However, till today, India and Pakistan both have declined from signing the agreement since the 90’s, citing each other respectively to initiate the process. This is where the crux of nuclear security begins.
The NSG is a question where there is domination by western values of nuclear security. The values of the NSG seem quite multi-polar in ideology regarding what determines a responsible nuclear security. The regime of nuclear security is definitely dependent on creating a uniform code and principles to abide by. This is where the NSG has a key role to play especially in assessing the candidature of nations on the principles of their law-abiding nature. Nuclear security regime has failed at the global level because there seems to be a genuine lack of trust. Creating a union through mutual trust where the nuclear weapons program is converted from military use to civilian use is the key.
Countries like France have used nuclear energy not only for defensive purposes but also for civilian purposes like energy. Diverting the use of nuclear energy for constructive purposes is essential. But this requires first movers to help the next breed of nuclear-capable nations by helping them to invest in more nuclear power generation and other civil use-related programs. This is what the world needs to move on to better engage nuclear power for productivity. The whole purpose is to better develop a framework which actually helps all nuclear weapons-possessing or potentially-possessing countries to come forward.
The recent engagement of the USA with Iran over nuclear technology and the consequent lifting of sanctions is an exemplary constructive process. However, the main impetus has fallen on the western world for determining rules for nuclear engagement. This again is where more nations need to come together as part of the NSG, with a proper framework for accepting the changing world order and creating the path towards nuclear proliferation. This may seem more of a utopian idea since in order for it to materialize in reality; proactive engagement on a regional basis is needed. For example, India-Pakistan-China should have a constructive discussion regarding their nuclear engagement. Similarly, for the Middle East, a constructive engagement, though seemingly difficult in current times, is a great way forward. Bringing together on the same table countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and as well as Israel could be a mile stone as well.
But it is not anymore about a nuclear-free world but rather about asking how to contain and balance the dynamics of a world which is multi-polar in nuclear dynamics. So it is time for the global policy makers and the respective governments alike to engage meaningfully. Even at the risk of seeming biased, it can be said that India has moved on to a new position of a responsible nuclear power despite not compromising on the principles of national security (a question to which nuclear capabilities is the answer). A peaceful world can be possible despite possessing nuclear weapons through an engaging environment is what I believe to be the way.
By: Mitrajit Biswas
