1998 test of a thermonuclear device by India at Pokhran had been a failure?

It is unfortunate that a DRDO scientist and a few BARC scientists have questioned the stated success of the thermonuclear device tested in 1998, that too after 10 years, and without much scientific evidence. Why wake up so late? As per Dr. Chidambaram, the device was “a two-stage device of advanced design, which had a fusion-boosted fission trigger as the first stage and a fusion secondary stage which was compressed by radiation implosion and ignited.”

One wonders what is exactly behind this controversy. Some people with the knowledge suspect that there is much more to it than the pure science. There are three possibilities: One can be to force India government to call off the self-committed moratorium on tests and not to sign CTBT; the second reason can be the possible competition for supremacy between BARC and DRDO, and the third may be some one is vying for the top post of DAE in the near future.

In this situation, the common man is taken for a ride, and the national secrets are being openly discussed. I am firmly of the opinion that the full disclosure should be avoided. The issue of credibility of India’s nuclear deterrent should be decided by the Prime Minister himself after due deliberations and hard talk to these scientists. National security should not be jeopardized at any cost.