India's nuclear program
1972, India was established a plutonium reprocessing facility at Trombay that had generated a huge stock mile of plutonium which was weapon grade in nature. The operation of the Purnima reactor designed by the bhabha Atomic Research Centre had provided Indian scientists the data needed for designing ar explosive devices. The scientists pressed the government to grant permission to conduct a Nuclear explosion at the subterranean level for use in civil engineering purposes. The US and the USSR, during the Cold War period, conducted many PNEs. Indira Gandhi finally approved the PNES for Indian scientists in October 1972. One of the immediate factors that motivated Indira Gandhi to give the go-ahead for the ONE was the Bangladesh war. In the 1971 war, the US had sent the nuclear powered Enterprise Mission into the Bay of Bengal. After the visit of Henry Kissinger to China, he told the Indian Ambassador to Washington, L.K. Jha, that if there is an Indo-Pak war over East Pakistan and in case the Chinese intervene in the war to support Pakistan, the US would not be able to support India. Both these incidents were perceived by India as outright intimidation.
Though no paper records exist for Indira Gandhi's decision to give a green signal for PNE, it is widely believed that this was one of the reasons that influenced her decision. Another reason was the continuous Chinese nuclear testing from 1964 onwards, which was certainly important in the security calculus of India.
The core factors that influenced Indian decision-makers to make a decision in favour of the PNE in 1974 are
1. Failure of security guarantee by the US,UK,USSR
2. Chines nuclear tests and security threats
3. USS Enterprise and nuclear intimidation.
4.US intimidation
After pokharan l,the US and Canada suspended support to India,in 1975 Nuclear Suppliers Group was formed to isolate India .In India emergency was emposed till 1980.
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