Nuclear Programme & Policy
Defence GK · परमाणु कार्यक्रम और नीति · 18 facts
Pokhran-I (Smiling Buddha): India's first nuclear test on May 18, 1974; conducted by PM Indira Gandhi; codename 'Smiling Buddha'; India became 6th nuclear power
Pokhran-II (Operation Shakti): Series of 5 nuclear tests on May 11-13, 1998 under PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee; made India an openly declared nuclear state
No First Use (NFU) policy: India pledged not to use nuclear weapons first; will only retaliate if attacked with nuclear/biological/chemical weapons
Credible Minimum Deterrence: India's nuclear doctrine — maintain minimum nuclear weapons sufficient to deter any nuclear attack; not engage in arms race
Nuclear Triad: India has all 3 delivery systems — land-based (Agni missiles), air-based (Rafale/Mirage), sea-based (INS Arihant with K-15 SLBMs)
DAE (Department of Atomic Energy): Established 1954; directly under PM; oversees India's nuclear programme, power plants, research; BARC is its premier lab
BARC (Bhabha Atomic Research Centre): Located in Trombay, Mumbai; India's premier nuclear research facility; named after Dr Homi Bhabha; established 1954
NSG (Nuclear Suppliers Group): 48-nation group controlling nuclear trade; India not a member (China blocks); NSG waiver granted to India in 2008
US-India Civil Nuclear Deal (123 Agreement, 2008): Landmark agreement under PM Manmohan Singh and President George W. Bush; ended India's nuclear isolation
CTBT (Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty): India has not signed CTBT as it discriminates against non-nuclear states; India's position: global disarmament first
NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty): India not a signatory; India argues NPT creates two classes — nuclear 'haves' and 'have-nots'; demands universal disarmament
Strategic Forces Command (SFC): Established 2003; controls India's nuclear arsenal; under Nuclear Command Authority (NCA) chaired by PM
India's nuclear arsenal: Estimated 160-170 nuclear warheads (2023); mostly fission-based; some thermonuclear; continuous buildup since 1998
Homi Bhabha: Father of India's nuclear programme; founded TIFR (1945) and BARC (1954); died in 1966 plane crash near Mont Blanc; first DAE chairman
Nuclear power plants: India has 22 nuclear reactors (7220 MW); targets 100 GW nuclear by 2047; operates PHWRs and LWRs; Kudankulam (Russian) largest
Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR): India became member in 2016; controls export of missiles and UAVs with range >300 km; helped India buy Predator drones
Australia Group (nuclear): India joined 2018; Wassenaar Arrangement also joined 2017; these memberships signal India's integration into global non-proliferation architecture
Pakistan nuclear programme: Pakistan conducted nuclear tests May 28-30, 1998 in response to Pokhran-II; has an estimated 170 nuclear warheads; AQ Khan network supplied N-tech to other countries