| The failed nuclear tests at Pokhran between 10th | | | | but no expertise.''Another former AEC chief, P K |
| and 13th of May 1998 proved to be extreme | | | | Iyengar said, ``The government should undertake |
| blunder of the Indian History now. The impact and | | | | an active investigation immediately following the |
| the set backs of these failed tests caused | | | | statements made by Santhanam in the article. I |
| extreme frustration and unwilling changes in many | | | | am feeling really ashamed.'' Regarding a revelation |
| plans which India was banking on since long. | | | | in Santhanam's article that the thermonuclear |
| The main motive of 1998 nuclear tests by India | | | | device had not yet been weaponised like the |
| was to completely push Pakistan to back foot. | | | | fission devices, he said: ``How will they do it if they |
| India was all set to give a clear message to the | | | | are doubtful about the yield? This itself is a clear |
| world that it has achieved complete supremacy in | | | | indication that the test was not a complete |
| the South Asian region due to its Military might | | | | success.''Both Iyengar and Prasad said the |
| and with a stockpile of effective Nuclear | | | | disclosures by Santhanam, that there was no |
| Weapons. A huge country with enormous | | | | disturbance to the shafts at ground zero, was |
| economic growth and unmatchable power of | | | | also proof that the test was unsuccessful.// The |
| Conventional and Nuclear weapons could have | | | | above report is clear evidence that it can be |
| brought great influence to India in this region and | | | | possible that the actual yielded result of the tests |
| probably a confirmed permanent seat in the UN | | | | could be lower than 25 KT, throwing Indian |
| Security Council. There were also false claims | | | | scientists into complete confusion and had badly |
| made by RAW and Military High ups of India which | | | | shattered their confidence too. It is bad luck for |
| led the then Prime Minister Mr. Atal Bihari | | | | the Indians that the report about the dud tests |
| Vajpayee to had been completely convinced that | | | | came at a point when India was all set to teach |
| Pakistan was unable to initiate its own nuclear test | | | | Pakistan a lesson of the lifetime after 26/11 |
| in fear of International reaction. But, the most | | | | Mumbai attacks. Amid all these circumstances the |
| hyped tests were not only proved to be failed | | | | failure of Missile tests also aggravated the |
| but subsequent tests by Pakistan on 28thMay | | | | situation and made Indian Army think that in case |
| 1998 completely shut the beak of the Indian | | | | of any serious confrontation between India and |
| ostrich. India still curses the loss of huge edge it | | | | Pakistan, India would face unbelievable |
| got before Pokhran tests in 1998 which not only | | | | embarrassment if the Military would fail to hit the |
| changed the power scene of this region but also | | | | potential targets and loose the war heads too due |
| threw India into many doubts about its own | | | | to the crashing of Missiles in the middle of its |
| nuclear capabilities. Intelligence inputs suggest that | | | | approach or missing the targets completely. In the |
| India is facing another blow due to its failed Missile | | | | following report India clearly admits the failed |
| program which is also creating big head ache for | | | | cruise missile test //(AFP) –Jan 21, 2009 NEW |
| the Military high ups. India is now on an | | | | DELHI (AFP) — A supersonic cruise missile |
| emergency plan with the help of Israel to | | | | jointly developed by Russia and India failed to hit |
| restructure its Missile program which was | | | | its target in a test previously reported as |
| previously based on Russian technology. The | | | | successful, Indian military scientists said |
| Missile program now needs a serious upgrading | | | | Wednesday. The Defence Research and |
| and revamping because of growing challenges in | | | | Development Organisation, which Tuesday claimed |
| the region. It is also widely believed that among | | | | the test of the BrahMos missile had been a "total |
| many factors which are believed to be like | | | | success," said the missile had flown only in the |
| American pressure and the fear of lack of | | | | general direction of its target. "The missile |
| International support, the possible attack on | | | | performance was absolutely normal till the last |
| Pakistan after 26/11 Mumbai terrorism were | | | | phase, but it missed the target, though it |
| backed off only due to sorry report of Indian | | | | maintained the direction," BrahMos project chief |
| Nuclear capabilities and spineless Missile system. It | | | | Sivathanu Pillai told the Press Trust of India. The |
| is also believed that it was after 26/11 when the | | | | eight-metre (26-foot) missile weighs about three |
| reports of failed tests of Pokhran came into | | | | metric tonnes and can be launched from land, |
| reality otherwise it was an internal secret before. | | | | ships, submarines or aircraft, travelling at a speed |
| Following is the complete report appeared on | | | | of up to Mach 2.8. It has a range of 290 |
| famous Indian News website of Times of India | | | | kilometres (180 miles) and is designed to carry a |
| which clearly shows the frustration and complete | | | | conventional warhead. The missile was fired from |
| helplessness of the Indians on the grave matter | | | | the Pokhran range in the western desert state of |
| of dud nuclear tests. Times of India - Srinivas | | | | Rajasthan, bordering Pakistan, that was also the |
| Laxman, TNN 18 September 2009, 01:44am IST | | | | site of India's nuclear tests in 1998.The Times of |
| /MUMBAI: Eleven years after India tested nuclear | | | | India newspaper Wednesday suggested the failure |
| bombs in the deserts of Pokhran, embarrassing | | | | was a result of an attempt to configure the |
| details about the test fizzling out have exploded | | | | missile to carry a nuclear warhead. Pillai did not |
| into a full blown controversy with top nuclear | | | | comment on the newspaper's report but said his |
| scientists on Thursday demanding that the | | | | scientists were trying to debug the guidance |
| government institute an inquiry to determine | | | | system of a missile that had been tested 20 |
| whether the test failed. Former nuclear czars said | | | | times in the past eight years."A new software |
| they were ashamed that information had been | | | | used for this mission will be revalidated through |
| hidden. Three former nuclear leaders -- M R | | | | extensive simulations and a flight trial will be |
| Srinivasan, P K Iyengar and A N Prasad said in the | | | | carried out in a month's time to prove the |
| wake of revelations by K Santhanam, project | | | | augmented capabilities of the missile," he said.India |
| leader for Pokhran II, the government must order | | | | and Russia -- its largest military supplier -- hope to |
| a peer review into the yield of the thermonuclear | | | | mass produce the BrahMos for export. |
| test of May 1998. Santhanam went public first on | | | | Nuclear-armed India, the largest arms buyer |
| August 26, saying that the yield from the test | | | | among emerging countries, has already begun |
| was far lower than what prime minister Atal Bihari | | | | arming its navy and army with the BrahMos as a |
| Vajpayee's government claimed. On Thursday, in | | | | tactical battlefield weapons system.The missile is |
| a newspaper article he disclosed embarrassing | | | | named after India's Brahmaputra River and |
| details saying the test was a failure because the | | | | Russia's Moskva River.// Further to complete |
| yield was only 25 kilotons, nearly half of what the | | | | shock to the Indians another Missile test this time |
| scientists had then claimed. He said that a meeting | | | | of Agni II also failed miserably to break the bone |
| of scientists discussed the failure soon after the | | | | of India's hopes to claim itself to be self reliant in |
| test and decided to hide it. He also pointed out | | | | the missile technology. Times of IndiaTNN 24 |
| that the failure meant that India now did not | | | | November 2009, 12:28am IST //BALASORE: |
| possess a credible nuclear deterrent, indicating | | | | India's nuclear-capable intermediate range Agni-II |
| that warheads on India's long-range missile could | | | | missile, test-fired for the first time after sunset |
| have far less punch than expected. R | | | | on Monday, reportedly failed to get the desired |
| Chidambaram, former chairman of Atomic Energy | | | | results. The Army test-fired the |
| Commission and the architect of the nuke tests; | | | | surface-to-surface Intermediate Range Ballistic |
| Anil Kakodkar, then director of Bhabha Atomic | | | | Missile (IRBM) from the Integrated Test Range |
| Research Centre, and APJ Abdul Kalam who led | | | | (ITR) from Wheeler’s Island,Bhadrak district, |
| the team from Defence Research and | | | | around 7.50pm.‘‘The liftoff and the first |
| Development Organisation, have insisted the | | | | stage separation was smooth. But it faltered just |
| device operated according to its design | | | | before the second stage separation and behaved |
| specifications and the yield was 45 kilotons.At a | | | | erratically, deviating from its coordinated path. |
| meeting on September 5, the AEC dismissed the | | | | Further analysis is on to ascertain the |
| first statements made by Santhanam, saying | | | | cause,’’ said a source. The entire |
| through different types of analysis it was | | | | trajectory of Monday’s trial was tracked by a |
| established that the yield of the thermonuclear | | | | battery of sophisticated radars, telemetry |
| test was 45 KT. Now, even scientists in Barc, the | | | | observation stations, electro-optic instruments and |
| nation's top nuclear weapon establishment, doubt | | | | a naval ship. The launch, originally scheduled in the |
| the claim. While saying he was surprised by | | | | first week of this month, was deferred due to |
| Santhanam's article, M R Srinivasan, former AEC | | | | some technical snags in its pneumatic system. |
| chairman, told TOI it was time for both | | | | Though the snags were rectified, another glitch |
| Chidambaram and Kakodkar to clarify the | | | | surfaced during Monday’s test, leading to the |
| situation. ``In such circumstances I think a peer | | | | fiasco, the source claimed. The nuclear capable |
| review is certainly warranted,'' he said. At the | | | | 2,000-km-plus range missile has a length of 20 |
| same time he said he still stood by the official | | | | meters, a diameter of one meter, weighs 17 |
| position and would support Chidambaram and | | | | tonnes and can carry a payload of around 1,000 |
| Kakodkar regarding the yield of the thermonuclear | | | | kg. It was first tested on April 11, 1999. The test |
| test. ``A lot of information has been published and | | | | launch was significant from India's strategic point |
| is on record. So I have really no reason to | | | | of view because for the first time since the |
| disbelieve at this stage either Chidambaram or | | | | beginning of DRDO’s missile development |
| Kakodkar on this issue. However, because of the | | | | programme, a missile was put under trial during |
| current controversy, I think the best recourse | | | | night. The user trial was conducted by Army |
| would be for both of them to clarify the position | | | | officials while scientists from DRDO were present |
| through a peer review,'' he added. Former Barc | | | | to provide necessary logistical support // India |
| director, A N Prasad, who has all along maintained | | | | after recent failures finds itself at a position |
| that the thermonuclear test was anything but a | | | | where it can doubt its own capabilities to handle |
| success, said, ``The painful fallout of this episode is | | | | any nuclear assault either from China or from |
| that the credibility of the nuclear scientific | | | | Pakistan in case of any future conflict in the |
| community and the respectable name of Barc is | | | | region. India is now banking on the hopes that |
| being damaged by a few at the top.'' In a direct | | | | Israel would provide the technology of Jericho |
| attack on Kalam and Chidambaram, Prasad said: | | | | ground-to-ground missile system which may help |
| ``If all that Santhanam has written is true, then | | | | India to substitute its garbage program of Cruise |
| people occupying high places have misled the | | | | Missile and Multiple ranged Missiles which are |
| country. If all the data about the thermonuclear | | | | definitely stuck in the intermediate stage and |
| test has been held by one man (Chidambaram), | | | | cannot be completely relied upon. The recent |
| then how can it be scientifically contested or | | | | advancing relationship with USA is also helping India |
| debated? He has kept it under wraps.'' Stressing | | | | to shelve its own Missile technology and substitute |
| that there should be a probe by a committee | | | | it with already tested and dependable technology |
| constituted by the government, Prasad said that | | | | which America would offer to India to wipe out |
| the team should comprise those having serious | | | | the sorrow of the failures on the technological |
| doubts about the yield of the test as well as | | | | front. The set backs after shameful failures in |
| experts who can include former nuclear scientists | | | | Nuclear and Missile technology left India with no |
| who have been raising their voices. ``It should not | | | | choice but to look towards USA, Israel and Russia |
| consist of only yes men. It should consist of | | | | to provide their own tested Missiles and few |
| those who are knowledgeable, who have the | | | | Nuclear Weapons too to maintain its inventory |
| capacity to investigate such a serious matter,'' he | | | | with dependable and trusted Missiles and |
| said.``If this committee concludes that the | | | | warheads. But to achieve that, India could be |
| thermonuclear test had completely failed then the | | | | giving many concessions to these countries |
| government has played a major fraud on the | | | | including access to the testing, production and |
| people of this country,'' he said. Asked if the AEC | | | | storage sites of Nuclear weapons and Multiple |
| itself can investigate, he replied: ``It has credibility, | | | | ranged Missiles. |