Should India Manufacture Nuclear Weapons? | Social Issue Essay, Article, Paragraph for Class 12, Graduation.

Should India Manufacture Nuclear Weapons?

Scheme of the essay

Exposition: Conflicting opinions are given regarding this.

Rising Action: The leaders wanted to keep India away from big-power rivalry.

Climax:

(1) India’s neighbours have been friendly, so these weapons are necessary.

(2) India’s policy of non-violence will be opposed to it.

(3) Nuclear weapons will inspire confidence.

(4) Security is more important, so manufacturing nuclear weapons is not a wastage of money.

(5) Dragging into a Nuclear race is unjustifiable.

Ending: National security demands the manufacturing of weapons.

Fear of war is, perhaps, more consuming than the love of war. That is why immediately after a war the nations start preparing for another war. Despite the destruction brought by the Second World War and despite the desire to maintain peace, nations started manufacturing more and more destructive weapons. Nowadays, nuclear capability is considered to be one of the distinguishing features of a great power. But a Nuclear power generally becomes the focus of the attention of most of the big powers. The big powers out of jealousy try to check it and the neighbouring countries start fearing it. That is why it was thought to be a wise action to keep India out of the cold war. Basing their contention on this they want India not to manufacture nuclear weapons. On the other hand, some others think that India will be in trouble if she did not manufacture these weapons in the near future.

Pakistan and China have never been quite friendly with India. The very existence of Pakistan depends upon anti-India propaganda. Rather Pakistan has always been exploiting her enmity with India to her own advantage. China on the other hand wants to grab some territory of India by one or the other method. China is already a nuclear power, whereas, Pakistan is making an effort to become a nuclear power. Under such circumstances, they will pose a great threat to India. So, it is necessary that India should manufacture nuclear weapons, because the weapons would never allow any of the countries to take India so lightly.

Some say that India is wedded to the policy of non-violence. They say that if India manufactures nuclear weapons she will be departing from her avowed policies. But this argument is based on wrong assumptions. Manufacturing nuclear weapons does not mean that those will be used against any other nation. Many steps are being taken to strengthen our own defences and to help the country to become strong. Moreover, no country in the world can make use of nuclear weapons without risking a world war. These weapons simply frighten away other nations which have aggressive designs. So, India will be manufacturing these weapons just to create fear in the minds of neighbouring nations which might have been thinking of attacking us.

India has not faced any war in which the whole of the nation might have suffered. During the Second World War India was not much affected, so was the case during the Indo-Pak and Indo-Chinese wars. Consequently, the people of India do not have enough self-confidence and if they lack this it is very difficult for the country to win any battle against any other country. Production of nuclear weapons will inspire confidence among the people.

Another argument which is given against the manufacturing of these weapons is that India cannot afford to spend so much amount of money on nuclear weapons. Indian people are so poor and Indian industries are so underdeveloped that it is very difficult to make economic progress. So, they say that the funds should be diverted toward the development of industries and towards the solving of people’s problems. At its face value, the arguments seem to be convincing. But it is not as convincing as it seems to be. The defence of a country is more important than economic progress. If the people do not feel secure economic prosperity will be of no use.

Some people say that India may be dragged into the nuclear race. These are just baseless fears. If Pakistan becomes a nuclear power India will automatically be dragged into the nuclear race. Moreover, when every nation wants to become a nuclear power, it is not going to affect any particular nation if it becomes a nuclear power.

They say that by testing nuclear devices atmosphere is polluted. There is already too much pollution in the atmosphere and we cannot check it by just giving up the nuclear programme.

It also depends upon other countries. If China goes on exploding nuclear devices or Pakistan goes on experimenting with nuclear weapons it will be difficult to check pollution of the atmosphere. So, India will be in a more secure position and her economy will not suffer much if she manufactures nuclear weapons.