Dragon Fire

Briefing

In May 1998, India stunned the world when it conducted five underground nuclear tests in the space of forty-eight hours, signalling her emergence as a nuclear power. The exact scope of the programme is still under dispute, but on 11 May, in tests known as Shakti, meaning ‘power’, India claims to have exploded two fission bombs and a thermonuclear — or hydrogen — bomb. On 13 May, two more sub-kiloton — or low-yield — weapons were exploded. Pakistan responded. It says it conducted five tests on 28 May and another two on 30 May. Two of the tests are believed to have been low-yield and none thermonuclear. At the time, it was estimated that India had stocks for up to thirty-five warheads and Pakistan had no more than fifteen bombs — although these figures were constantly disputed. By 2005, India possessed 150 warheads, and Pakistan 82. Despite the recent election of a Hindu nationalist government, which had cited nuclear testing in its manifesto, the American intelligence services had failed to detect signs that the tests were about to take place.