THE TELEGRAPH, CALCUTTA, 16 MAY 1998
What caused India to test five nuclear devices and why at this time? The government and its spokesmen have made three claims. One, that the nuclear environment around the country is danerous. Two, that valuable scintific data for the future will be generated. Three, that India will achieve greater leverage in global nuclear politics. All three claims are exaggerated, if not specious.
First of all, the nuclear environment around India is the same as it has been for some years now. Indeed, it may be more benign than in the past. The Chinese have some 300 nuclear weapons and Pakistan is reputed to be capable of putting together a dozen crude devices. However, this has been the situation since about the late 80s or early 90s. Nothing much has changed in the past four or five years.
George Fernandes has announced there are missiles in Tibet pointed at India. This is a story that has been around for over a decade. In any case, it is far more likely the missiles there are pointed at Russia and other targets, that India is not the worry. The fact is no one knows much about the missiles in Tibet and, in any case, it is not a new development.