| If you come, with you; if you do not come, | | | | France refused to honor its treaty obligation and |
| without you, and if you oppose, in spite of you, | | | | part with its know - how or supply enriched |
| we go ahead; said Veer Savarkar once. And | | | | uranium fuel. India had therefore to deviate form |
| exactly that is India's nuclear policy now. "If you | | | | the French design, make alterations, modification |
| help, with your help, if you do not help without | | | | and adaptations, produce the essential |
| your help and if you oppose, in spite of you, we | | | | components-reactor vessel fuel and reflector |
| shall go ahead with our policy" says India to the | | | | sub-assemblies, rotating plus, control and drive |
| advanced nations of the world. It was with their | | | | mechanisms, heat exchanges, steam generators, |
| help that India had launched its nuclear program. | | | | pumping systems and finally a new fuel that could |
| Soon it had to pass through the second stage and | | | | be used but at the same time abundantly available |
| now, it is in spite of their opposition, that India | | | | in the country itself. Getting over the hurdles one |
| goes ahead, with its policies and programs of | | | | after another, India's first FBTR became critical in |
| 'atoms for peace'. | | | | 1985 and now, India proudly takes the seventh |
| Nobody knew that a tiny atom could be a store | | | | place in the exclusive 7 member club of countries |
| house of tremendous energy, until the early | | | | with FBTRS, the United Stated, the Soviet Union, |
| forties. Only when America dropped its 'crude; | | | | France, the United Kingdom, West Germany and |
| atom bomb on Japan, the world could realize its | | | | Japan being the other countries in that order. In |
| huge power of destruction. Apart from wiping out | | | | this regard, one may recall what out eminent |
| vast areas around and killing every living being | | | | nuclear physicist Dr. Raja Ramanna said "That |
| that breathes-even plant life is not spared - its | | | | takes us with the very few, an elite group-the |
| immediate and long term effects are stupefying. | | | | same countries are still thinking whether they |
| Even small doses of nuclear radiation, such as - | | | | should, or should not go into expect that we |
| rays, - particles, - particles and neutrons can result | | | | would finish the FBTR by ourselves." |
| in skin disorders loss of hair and the like which are | | | | Not only did our scientists successfully finish it, but |
| recoverable, while greater doses, in irreparable | | | | also hit upon a new fuel thorium which is available |
| losses leading to leukemia and malignant tumors. | | | | is plenty in India and specifically designed for Indian |
| Its long term effects are more baffling. It is their | | | | conditions. Also, the higher fissile content of the |
| offspring that suffer-their mental efficiency | | | | plutonium helps the engineers to dispense with the |
| decreases, and their reproductive capacity | | | | heavy water. Again to quote Raja Ramanna, "We |
| deteriorates. | | | | would be the first in the world to use carbide'. |
| No wonder Japan had surrounded unconditionally | | | | Now with Madras Atomic Power Stations I and II, |
| and with in days the second world war ended. But | | | | apart from the FBTR, all the three located at |
| this should have acted as a deterrent and the | | | | Kalpakkam, near Madras and Dhruva Research |
| world should have stayed away from this | | | | Reactor at Bombay, India can now be proud of |
| forbidden front. But human greed knows no limits | | | | the new technology it has developed in this area, |
| and the temptation to acquire power, even if it is | | | | unaided, all by itself. A country that could not once |
| destructive, is irresistible. Soon nations found | | | | produce quality bolts and nuts can now produce |
| themselves running in the race, to make atom | | | | metal cooled, carbide fuelled highly sophisticated, |
| bombs. Russia, England, France and China devised | | | | Fast Breeder Reactors. A giant leap indeed. "The |
| and developed the atom bomb. And now they | | | | rigidity with which our scientists struck to |
| realized that it had very great powers of | | | | specifications and commissioned them, comparable |
| destruction and its production therefore should be | | | | in quality to any in the world, showed that given |
| restricted. While they produced and stock piled | | | | the drive, our scientists are capable of reaching |
| them, devising newer and newer ones, they | | | | great heights" said Rajiv Gandhi, the then Prime |
| wanted that no other nation should produce them | | | | Minister of India, while dedicating the FBTR at |
| and started compelling non-nuclear nations to give | | | | Kalpakkam to the nation. |
| an undertaking to that effect and enter into the | | | | The purpose of FBTR which uses a mixed carbide |
| non proliferation treaty - NPT in short. | | | | of uranium and plutonium as fuel (for driving the |
| India could not understand the rationale behind | | | | reactor ) developed and produced indigenously at |
| such a partisan attitude. Yet it was ready to sigh | | | | the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre, Bombay, is |
| the treaty provided the nuclear power were | | | | two fold; to offer research facilities and training |
| prepared to give up their destructive ambitions. It | | | | for our young scientists and then produce |
| was not palatable to them, they wanted to | | | | electricity at a comparatively cheap rate. Their |
| continue with their nuclear experimentation's, | | | | purpose electricity at a comparatively cheap rate. |
| production and stock piling of the arsenal as they | | | | Their purpose is certainly not for making atom |
| devised ways and means of coercing India. | | | | bombs. "By splitting the atom, we have released |
| It was in July 1974 they got a chance to pursue | | | | boundless energy. It must be our task to see |
| their discriminatory policies with renewed vigor; on | | | | that this energy is used for the furtherance of |
| this day India tested a modest atom bomb at | | | | our civilisation and not misused for the destruction |
| Pokharan and became un-welcome member of | | | | of human kind. Our abhorrence to nuclear |
| the nuclear club. But at the same time, in spite of | | | | weapons is total" said Rajiv Gandhi. |
| its capabilities to make and store atom bombs, it | | | | In spite of such honest declarations, the USA, not |
| once again declared in clear unequivocal terms, its | | | | only arms Pakistan to its very teeth in the name |
| commitment to use the atom-power for peace | | | | of regional balance, but also pressurizes India time |
| and prosperity of the nation. Ignoring its | | | | and again, through its camp follower, to sign the |
| unambiguous professions and suspecting its | | | | NPT, in a shrewd and veiled manner. Pakistan |
| integrity and honesty they applied pressure after | | | | proposes that India and Pakistan - |
| pressure to coerce India and bring it round to sign | | | | 1. Jointly sigh the NPT |
| the NPT which "attempted to lock up all the law | | | | 2. Agree to mutual inspection of each other's |
| abiding citizens while allowing the criminals | | | | nuclear facilities |
| complete freedom to roam about and continue | | | | 3. Together submit all their installations and facilities |
| with their criminal deeds". | | | | to international safeguards |
| With the United States of America, Canada, the | | | | 4. Convert South Asia into a nuclear free zone |
| United Kingdom and France, going back on their | | | | and |
| promises and refusing to help India in pursuing its | | | | 5. Agree to a mutual renunciation of weapons; |
| nuclear peace program, India began to experience | | | | Which clearly and conclusively state that Pakistan |
| the pinch of neglect and non-co-operation. Without | | | | has clandestine atom bombs. And in spite of such |
| Uranium 235 or heavy water, or other essential | | | | unambiguous situations, America goes on with its |
| components, there came a virtual break down in | | | | billions of dollars of help and assistance to Pakistan. |
| its program. Even our trusted friend, Russia, | | | | Does it mean that America is genuinely afraid of |
| withdrew its hand of assistance and refused to | | | | India's nuclear policies and programs? Does its |
| supply the heavy water. India has learned the | | | | pronouncement look so empty and hypothetic to |
| virtue of self help of course, in the hard way. It is | | | | the American mind? Can India become a threat, in |
| indeed ironical that the very force that tried to | | | | spite of its great eastern neighbor equipped with |
| subdue and humiliate India, had finally become a | | | | atomic teeth, to a country thousands of miles |
| blessing in disguise. | | | | away from its shores? It is for the politician and |
| In 1972, India obtained a design for the Fast | | | | the policy maker to find answers to such |
| Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) from France. After | | | | questions. |
| 1974 when India test fired its atomic device | | | | |