India decided to conduct nuclear tests. Explain with reasons.
Answers
In an insecure environment in early 1990, India’s pursuit of nuclear weapons was a counteraction.
At that instant, it was a wise decision as well as necessary strategy as Chinese and Pakistani adventurism with nuclear weapons.
Considering the relatively low costs of a nuclear program, a multilateral order that threatened to recognize China’s nuclear status was necessary.
Security threat was not highly adverse in 1990 because its external threat environment was largely mitigated.
China was uneasy with its domestic affairs after Tiananmen Square incidence.
Its interest in threatening Indian territory was greatly minimized at this time. Pakistan was, in worse shape during the 1990s.
First, due to Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1989, and the subsequent collapse of the U.S.S.R, involved Pakistan with a nasty civil war along its western border.
This would partially distract it from antagonizing India.“an enabling domestic environment” persisted at that time made India carry out the strategically wise to test nuclear weapons in the late 1990s.