Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday likened the current situation to the 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests and said no power in the world could force India to bend or give in to pressure.
Addressing the Somnath Amrut Mahotsav celebrations to mark 75 years since the inauguration of the restored Somnath temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said certain “forces” in the country still put the politics of appeasement above national pride and self-respect. He also noted that a similar mindset was evident during the opposition to the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, according to a PTI report.
“While India achieved independence in 1947, the Pran Pratishtha (consecration ceremony) of Somnath in 1951 served as a proclamation of India’s liberated consciousness,” he said.
People also ask
Artificial intelligence reinforced the insights from this story
•5 QUESTIONS
PM Modi drew a parallel between the current geopolitical climate and the 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests to highlight India’s resilience and resolve. He stated that just as India had stood firm against global pressure after the nuclear tests, no power today could make India bend or succumb to pressure.
May 11, 1998 is significant because it marked the date India conducted its nuclear tests, showcasing the country’s scientific capabilities to the world. This event took place under the leadership of then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
After the 1998 nuclear tests, global powers reacted with anger and tried to isolate India through sanctions and economic pressure. They questioned India’s right to conduct such tests and blocked economic routes.
PM Modi has warned against non-essential purchases of gold for a year to save foreign exchange reserves. India is a major importer of gold, and high import costs, especially at a time of rising oil prices, are putting further pressure on the country’s trade deficit and the rupee.
Apart from avoiding gold purchases, PM Modi appealed for revival of home working, reduction of petrol and diesel consumption, use of public transport, restriction of use of cooking oil, avoidance of foreign travel and shift to natural farming and Swadeshi products.
Read also | Trump dropped an explosive ultimatum: “The bombing begins” if Iran rejects the deal
Modi emphasized that the ‘Amrut Mahotsav’ of Somnath is not only a reminder of the past but is also a festival of inspiration for India for the next thousand years.
May 11 is a significant date as it marks not only the consecration of the Somnath temple but also India’s nuclear tests in 1998 under the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he said.
“On May 11, 1998, the country conducted its nuclear tests. Our scientists showed India’s capabilities and potential to the whole world,” Modi emphasized.
The tests “sent shockwaves around the world” and provoked angry reactions in several countries, he said.
“Who is India to conduct nuclear tests? The world reacted with anger,” Modi said, referring to the international reaction after the Pokhran tests.
Read also | India successfully conducted flight tests of VSHORADS missile at Pokhran | WATCH
Global powers then tried to isolate India through sanctions and economic pressure after the tests, he said.
“Global powers have mobilized to suppress India. Various sanctions have been imposed and every passage to avert a potential economic crisis has been blocked,” the prime minister said.
Many countries would have succumbed under such circumstances, but India stood firm, he pointed out.
“Anyone else would falter. When major world powers launch such a massive offensive, it is difficult to find a way forward. But we are built differently,” Modi said.
India went ahead with two more nuclear tests on 13 May 1998, despite growing pressure from the international community, he noted.
“On May 11, our scientists completed their task. However, two more nuclear tests were conducted on May 13. This showed the world how steadfast India’s political will is,” Modi said.
He praised the then Vajpayee-led government for refusing to bow to global pressure.
“At that time, India was facing tremendous pressure from all over the world. Yet under the leadership of Atal, the BJP government showed it that for us nation comes first. No power on earth can make India bow down or succumb to pressure,” he said.
Somnath reminds us that no nation can remain strong unless it is connected to its roots, the Prime Minister said.
Pokhran-II Tests – View
India conducted the Pokhran-II tests, a series of five nuclear explosions, in May 1998 at the Indian Army’s Pokhran Test Range in Rajasthan. It was overseen by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Eminent scientists including R. Chidambaram and APJ Abdul Kalam also conducted the test.
In a press statement, the Ministry of Atomic Energy said the first three detonations were carried out simultaneously at 15:45 IST on 11 May. These were a 45-kiloton thermonuclear device, a 15-kiloton fission device, and a 0.2-kiloton subkiloton device. Two other nuclear devices, detonated simultaneously on May 13, were also in the sub-kiloton range with yields of 0.5 kilotons and 0.3 kilotons.
Read also | PM Modi welcomes digital census, nuclear power, renewables
The ministry said the tests marked the culmination of a decade of sustained efforts toward self-sufficiency in India’s nuclear weapons development program. He noted that the program drew on expertise in several disciplines, including explosive ballistics, shock wave physics, condensed matter physics, materials science, nuclear and neutron physics, radiation hydrodynamics, and advanced electronics engineering.
The statement added that the development of complex computer simulation software and specialized production and manufacturing technologies also played a key role in accurately predicting weapons yields.
No power on earth can make India bow down or succumb to pressure.
According to the ministry, India has developed world-class expertise in several of these areas, including shock wave physics and high pressure equation research.
(With input from agencies)
Key things
- India’s nuclear tests in 1998 demonstrated its technological capabilities and political will.
- Despite international sanctions and pressure, India has maintained its sovereignty and determination.
- The historical context of the Pokhran tests serves as a reminder of national pride and resilience.
