Which of the following statements are correct about India's Nuclear Programme?

(A) India's nuclear doctrine of credible minimum nuclear deterrence professes "no first use" and reiterates India's commitment to global peace.
(B) India conducted a series of nuclear tests in May 1996, demonstrating its capacity to use nuclear energy for military purposes.
(C) India opposed the indefinite extension of the NPT in 1995 and also refused to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).
(D) The international community imposed sanctions on both India and Pakistan, which were subsequently waived.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

(A), (C) and (D) only

The correct answer is Option (4) → (A), (C) and (D) only

(A) India's nuclear doctrine of credible minimum nuclear deterrence professes "no first use" and reiterates India's commitment to global peace. (Correct). India's official nuclear doctrine, formalized in 2003, is based on the principle of "No First Use" (NFU). This means that India will only use nuclear weapons in retaliation to a nuclear attack on its territory or forces. The doctrine also emphasizes a "credible minimum deterrent," meaning India will maintain a sufficient arsenal to inflict unacceptable damage on an aggressor, but will not engage in a nuclear arms race.
(B) India conducted a series of nuclear tests in May 1996, demonstrating its capacity to use nuclear energy for military purposes. (Incorrect).  India conducted its first nuclear test, "Smiling Buddha," in 1974. The second series of tests, known as Pokhran-II or "Operation Shakti," occurred in May 1998, not 1996. These tests officially declared India a nuclear weapons state.
(C) India opposed the indefinite extension of the NPT in 1995 and also refused to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). (Correct). India views the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as discriminatory because it legitimizes nuclear weapons for the five permanent members of the UN Security Council while denying them to other nations. India also opposed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) in 1996, arguing that it was flawed as it would permanently ban nuclear tests without a definitive timeline for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons.
(D) The international community imposed sanctions on both India and Pakistan, which were subsequently waived. (Correct). Following the 1998 nuclear tests by both India and Pakistan, several countries, most notably the United States and Japan, imposed economic sanctions.