In fact our democracy is on trial.
It is threatened by the forces working within
the country and without the country. We cannot establish international peace till
some of the countries remain underdeveloped or continue fighting against one
another. We must assist politically young and economically backward countries.
Though we stand for the ideals of political freedom, economic justice and
international peace but some nations do not accept our ideals. Pakistan has always
been trying to blackmail India by crippling our economy and by disfiguring our
ideals. Similarly, China has always been casting greedy eyes upon India. The
Chinese has been training Nagas and Mizos in order to create disruption in India.
Naturally, these two nations whenever they feel that their tactics do not succeed,
wage a war against India. A war for a fortnight brings so much economic imbalance
that we are unable to make our economy sound. So nuclear weapons will dampen their
enthusiasm to do harm to us. It is not possible to make use of nuclear weapons in
the event of any conflict because such an action would invite greater trouble and
many big countries would jump into the arena. Still nuclear weapons would
definitely make China and Pakistan less hostile.
In the present day world there is a race for nuclear weapons. Every nation is
trying its best, if it is within her capacity, to manufacture nuclear bombs.
Naturally, if India manufactures these weapons she will get higher status among the
community of nations. The bigger nations will not take us to be a weak nation. If
we are dragged into a nuclear race, it would not make any substantial loss; now-a-
days joining the nuclear race gives more prestige than anything else. This is what
India needs. India has the potentiality to become the leader of Asia. But if we are
not strong, from the military point of view, no nation is going to respect us. Only
the strong nations can choose between cooperation and spirit of freedom on one side
and fear and suspicion on the other side. It is foolishness to talk of peace simply
because others want us to talk of it.
It has been pointed out that India will have to incur a huge expenditure for
manufacturing these weapons. Of course, it needs quite a big amount but can we
afford to become weak militarily? If we stress this argument a little further we
will have to say that there is no need for army because it involves heavy
expenditure. For preserving the sovereignty of the State, the states spend a huge
amount of money; why should India hesitate from spending? No doubt some of the
developmental programmes will have to be given up yet it would be nothing more than
fixing the priorities.
When we were helping Bangladesh, America paraded the Seventh Fleet in the Indian
Ocean. That was meant to create baseless fear in our minds and so to force us to
accept submission before the U.S.A. We are still to find a nation that has thrived
because of the foreign aid. Aid-giving nations have always been trying to grind
their own axe. Under such circumstances we will have to become as strong as it is
possible so that other nations may not bully us to accept their domination.
Despite the community feeling which has been cultivated among the nations of the
world, mutual understanding among the nations is still a far cry. Distance has been
reduced and the nations have come closer, at least geographically, but the distance
created by disagreement and differences still persists. Similarly despite the
civilized code for international behaviour we have been using national power to
tackle inter-state problems. Man is power-hungry and at the national level this
desire is sublimated to national glory, sometimes to racial purity. In the
international field strange type of forces are at work; a nation�s supremacy is
determined by her military power which in its turn uses politics as a lever to
subjugate nations. Under such circumstances even the smaller nations have started
thinking of becoming nuclear powers. Nuclear weapons serve as a damper for those
nations which indulge in military adventures. India�s position in the world-
politics is novel and significant � novel because she is sincerely working for
peace though no nation allows peace to prosper. India, has the potential power of
becoming a leading nation of the world and China does not want that India should
snatch Asian leadership. American influence in Asia would fade away if India
becomes an Asian leader. So India has no allies though many nations may show lip
sympathy. Russian help during Indo-Pak conflict was guided more by political
expediency. In such a state of virtual isolation India should put her own shoulder
to the wheel and manufacture nuclear weapons.
India�s policy of non-alignment which implies involvement in world politics without
betraying any partiality or prejudice has created uncertainty regarding India�s
affiliations. To them India is not a dependable ally. Subdued criticism of Russian
policies� denunciation of America have made India an uncertain ally. At least they
are not sure about India�s leanings. So we will have to depend upon our own
resources for meeting the challenge of the enemies.
It can be further argued that India is flanked by two unprincipled and dangerous
enemies, China and Pakistan. China, hungry for domination and Pakistan, with
instinctive hatred for India, can pose a perpetual threat to our security. In order
to frighten them away from any adventure India needs nuclear weapons, latest war
with Pakistan cannot be considered a decisive victory; half defeated enemy can
never reconcile with the situation. Through pressures from outside Pakistan may
tilt the balance in her favour as it was done at the time of Tashkant Declaration.
Till India herself becomes a power our policy will always be conditioned by the
external pressures.
