nuclear wonder or economic blunder
Nirad Narkhade, from Pune, blasts the nuclear test that might well devastate our national economy.
In May 1974, a mere 20 kiloton device
buried 100 metres underground-the first Pokharan experiment-created a storm of utterly
paranoid fear of a nuke threat from Washington. And what we learnt from it was to create
another nuclear device 24 years later, to prove to the world that if you have power, show
it!
The current Indian government, which has recently completed 50 days in power, may be quite satisfied as they carried out what was in their manifesto. But what about what was in it as against the needs of our country over the past 50 years? Yes, what about poverty, unemployment, technological development? What are we giving priority today, wonders the largest democracy in the world. The government may try to argue that testing improves bomb design, miniaturization and yield, improves our ability to inflict more damage, but this is the language of attack capability, not deterrence.
Let's take a look at the more practical aspect of it. In a conventional war it takes more planes or tanks to win a battle. But more nuclear bombs do not create a winning situation. They merely ensure more mutual self devastation.
Maybe it seems wonderful that India is gearing itself to stand up to China and America, taking the initiative, giving the message that we will do what we like. So what if it costs us our own so-called developing economy? So what if the Sensex shed 77 points almost overnight after the nuclear tests? Or that it resulted in the US, the EU, Japan and other major powers imposing tough economic sanctions. And the IMF and World Bank withdrawing all assistance and support to India, due to which it may suffer further loss because of the repercussions in the international credit and equity markets.
The consequences will be substantial even in normal times, but they will be catastrophic in the event of future economic crisis. As of now, even our exports are being adversely affected. And Japan, India's largest ODA (Official Development Assistance) donor, is considering stalling its aid. The Hiroshima bomb was never tested, but it worked! But by carrying out these tests, India has created potential foes without having the remotest capacity to deal with them in the event of a nuclear war. Why do we want to prove to the world, which is well aware of it already, that we have nuclear capability that is potentially self-destructive and will probably never be used by any nation anyway? Why are we hell-bent on ruining our goodwill with other nations who help us? Why do we want to provoke the US and not accept it as the world's most powerful nation? If the rest of the world does, maybe it is.
I am not of the opinion that we did something wrong by carrying out nuclear tests, but that it's definitely at the wrong time. If we take a close look at the conditions in our country we can see that at this stage our economy is not at all stable. Our priority today is not nuclear tests but the basic needs of each and every citizen of India. After all, it's we who chose democracy and, taking it for granted, made the most misuse of it. The CTBT was signed by many nations because it meant something for world peace. But do we want peace in disguise by not signing it, just to stand out in the crowd or something? In the 70s it was the nuclear megatonnage at your command that mattered; today it is per capita income, foreign exchange reserves and quality of life that matter.
Today we may say that if the US imposes sanctions we will face it with our own strength. But are we forgetting that it is the same US we are provoking who has 18-20 percent voting strength in the World Bank. The same US who is granting loan guarantees from US EXIM Banks upto two billion US dollars to India. The same US who is the largest purchaser of Indian exports and supplier of equipment to our Enron Project and Boeing aircraft for Air India. And the same US who is joined by several others in imposing their respective sanctions and aid to India. While on the other hand, our 'friends' across the border are silent spectators of this game, monitoring the ins and outs of our political and economic situation while we get the blows, leaving them better off vis-a-vis India.
India thinks it has the nuclear capability to raze Pakistani cities five times over. How is this an improvement over its present ability to raze Lahore alone? We are aware of the fact and accept it that Pakistan can raze Indian cities too, so war is unthinkable. But if we wish to get into a major nuclear war, it is a totally new ballgame, demanding budgets that even superpowers find difficult to support. How can we finance a nuclear war, when we haven't even enough funds to pay the interest on our ever-increasing foreign debts?
The latest nuclear tests move India from a country aiming at deterrence to one aiming at becoming a major attacking power. This looks like a dangerous delusion of grandeur.
