Nuclear Weapons: Who Has What At a Glance

India: India’s “Smiling Buddha” a secret nuclear operation was first tested in 1974. The country is not a signatory to NPT because of the discrimination that comes with it. The country opines that if India signs up for the treaty the world would be divided into nuclear “haves” and “have-nots.” In the late 80s, it weaponized 24 nuclear arms for delivery by air. However the country maintains a status quo on the measure of its possession. In 1998, it tested some of its weaponized warheads in what it dubbed as Operation Shakti, the same year in which Pakistan test fired its first nuclear weapon.

Israel: Israel is the sixth nation in the world to possess nuclear weaponry. It is said that Israel probably got a nuclear weapon way back in 1967 deep in its desert sands. Israel’s nuclear strength is on par with India and Pakistan. Israel built its nuclear strength by acquiring resources from few amicable nations and even through illegal transactions. The weapon assembled in 1967 was probably crude and never got tested. However, in 1979, Israel was believed to have conducted a test in the Indian Ocean in cooperation with South Africa. Mordechai Vanunu, a technician who had photographs and detailed technical information on how to separate lithium-6, confirmed the advanced state of the Israeli nuclear weapon program in 1986. Separating lithium-6 is a key step for the production of tritrium, which is essential in developing fusion-boosted fission bombs. The country admitted that it has a nuclear reactor, which is useful only for peaceful purposes.

Also Read: 8 Indegenous Defence Accomplishments Added To the Armed Forces
Few Steps Left To Implement Indo-U.S. N-Deal: White House