Which of the following statements is true?

Statement 01: India has been involved in conflicts with its neighbours — Pakistan in 1947–48, 1965, 1971 and 1999; and China in 1962.

Statement 02: India’s decision to conduct nuclear tests in 2008 was justified by the Indian government in terms of safeguarding national security.

Only Statement 01 is true

The correct answer is Option 3 - Only Statement 01 is true

Given statements:

Statement 01: India has been involved in conflicts with its neighbours — Pakistan in 1947–48, 1965, 1971 and 1999; and China in 1962. (Correct)

Statement 02: India’s decision to conduct nuclear tests in 2008 was justified by the Indian government in terms of safeguarding national security. (Incorrect)

India has faced traditional (military) and non-traditional threats to its security that have emerged from within as well as outside its borders. Its security strategy has four broad components, which have been used in a varying combination from time to time.

The first component was streng thening its military capabilities because India has been involved in conflicts with its neighbours — Pakistan in 1947–48, 1965, 1971 and 1999; and China in 1962. Since it is surrounded by nuclear-armed countries in the South Asian region, India’s decision to conduct nuclear tests in 1998 was justified by the Indian government in terms of safeguarding national security. India first tested a nuclear device in 1974.