India signed a civilian nuclear agreement with Namibia this week, which will provide it access to the "world's best uranium" as it was described by the African nation's visiting President.
India signed a civilian nuclear agreement with Namibia this week, which will provide it access to the "world's best uranium" as it was described by the African nation's visiting President.
Around the same time, an Australian minister reiterated her government's stand to deny uranium sales to India as it is not a signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT).
However, the scope and subject of my article is beyond what the Namibian President offered us and what Canberra refused, yet again.
ADVERTISEMENT
The country was engaged in a heated debate over the success of Pokhran II during the NDA regime.
u00a0
It was kicked up by one of the best scientific minds in the country, while Pakistan was busy modifying its ballistic missiles to reportedly attack India.
While a former atomic scientist claimed that Pokhran II was only a half success, eminent scientist and former president APJ Abdul Kalam stepped in and said India's nuclear tests were a complete success.
I wonder which country discusses its nuclear assets so openly. It took years of convincing by successive governments to rid India of the nuclear apartheid it was subjected to, after the Pokhran tests.
u00a0
New Delhi is already under a landmark pact with the United States for transfer of nuclear technology and fuel, and after a long time, the country can exploit the benefits that it was deprived of.
u00a0
The Manmohan Singh-led UPA government had assured the nation entering the Indo-US civilian nuclear cooperation agreement won't mean the lost right of conducting further nuclear tests.
u00a0
But a similar assertion never came from Washington in terms as clear.
And no one but the country's nuclear scientists understand the consequences of more nuclear tests better. If at such a time, we raise questions on the authenticity of our nuclear potential, it will not be in the country's interest.
u00a0
The most foolish reaction came from the media. Non-descript channels cried out that India's nuclear programme was a failure and how the scientists and the government were fooling the public. What rubbish.
u00a0
Nobody dug deeper to understand what the former atomic energy commission chairman K Santhanam pointed out: only one device out of the three that were tested at Pokhran failed.
u00a0
I gathered it was a hydrogen bomb.So, even if India doesn't have a hydrogen bomb, I am quite sure that we have enough nuclear deterrence to give our neighbour sleepless nights.
u00a0
Therefore, it would be better if we ask the government to fulfill all its promises it made to the nation while signing the nuclear pact with the US.
u00a0
That of energy security, a robust economy, of India sitting at the global high table, instead of pointing fingers.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
