A New India

February 1953, too many things were happening around the world and with Korean War ending, people thought they will finally find peace as this was a term very less associated with life ever since 1900.

But in those moments on Feb 12 Rohan recieved a classified telegram from the intelligence agencies that shocked him because even though he knew this was an AU, he never expected things to change so much and with this news something changed within him because he finally found an opportunity once in an decade.

Seated behind his desk in New Delhi, the Prime Minister was looking at the telegram which said only few words but enough, France was preparing to conduct its first nuclear test on February 25.

"Prime Minister, you wanted to see me?" Neeraj asked, stepping into the room. His usually calm demeanor cracked slightly as he caught sight of Rohan's expression.

Rohan looked up, his fingers tapping the desk. "France is planning a nuclear test on the 25th."

Neeraj's eyes widened in surprise. "That's in less than two weeks! If they succeed, they'll make global headlines. The world will take notice. This Massive news sir"

"Exactly," Rohan replied, his gaze steady.

"I was thinking something but never found the right opportunity but today it is in front of ourselves, something to change the fate of this nation forever. That's why we need to act before they do. We'll conduct our own test on the 24th, one day ahead of them."

Neeraj blinked, clearly taken aback. "One day before? But, Prime Minister, our nuclear deal with the U.S. was strictly for civilian purposes. If we go ahead with this, it'll be seen as a breach of trust."

Rohan stood, walking over to the large map of India that hung on the wall. "The Americans knew what we were capable of. They might not like it, but they'll respect us if we succeed. Even if there is an international outcry we still have France Nucelar test as a shield.

We can use ourselves as leader of the so called third world countries and rally other asian countries if west still continues to pressure us, we will use this pressure as a case of Western imperialism which will silent them soon"

Neeraj was silent for a moment, considering the boldness of the plan. "You're right, sir. But the international reaction will be swift. Our economy has taken a hit, truthfully our political system is in shambles, if they put sanction on us I don't know how will we continue to work"

"Do you want to know? Simple we will go to USSR, do you really think USA will want a regional powerhouse with Nucelar weapons to ally with USSR, let alone a democracy what kind of message will it spread that the ideology USA has been fighting for is not working if Communists and Democracy can work together. What i want you to do is call the Dr. Bhaba and others as soon as possible for a meeting"

Neeraj nodded, now understanding the urgency. "I'll call Dr. Homi Bhabha and others immediately. If anyone can make this happen, it's him."

It didn't take long for Dr. Homi Bhabha, the father of India's nuclear program, to arrive at the Prime Minister's residence.

He was accompanied by Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, Dr. Raja Ramanna, and several top scientists and military officials involved in the country's secret nuclear project.

They gathered around a large table scattered with blueprints, scientific reports, and maps of test sites.

Rohan didn't waste any time. "Dr. Bhabha, we've just learned that France is going to conduct their first nuclear test on the 25th. I want India to conduct ours on the 24th, one day earlier."

Dr. Bhabha, usually composed, looked surprised. "Prime Minister, that's a very tight deadline. We've made considerable progress, yes, but moving the test date up leaves us with almost no margin for error."

Vikram Sarabhai, leaning forward, added, "Technically, the device is ready. But there are still safety checks being done on the fissile material. The yield has to be carefully calculated. It's one thing to detonate a bomb, it's another to ensure we control the fallout."

Rohan looked at them, his expression serious. "How close are we to ensuring the test can happen safely?"

Dr. Bhabha glanced at Sarabhai before responding. "We've followed the design of a plutonium-based implosion device, similar to what the Americans and Soviets used. We're confident in the theory, but the final assembly of the core and the triggering mechanism is where we can't afford any mistakes."

Dr. Ramanna, who had been studying the blueprints closely, spoke up. "The design we're using is modeled after the Fat Man bomb dropped on Nagasaki. We expect a yield of around 20 kilotons."

"Twenty kilotons," Rohan repeated, nodding slowly. "That will make the world take notice."

"But," Sarabhai cautioned, "even the smallest miscalculation could result in a failure. And a failed test would be disastrous, not just diplomatically, but also for our credibility."

Rohan understood the stakes. "What do you need from me to make this happen?"

Dr. Bhabha leaned forward, his voice calm but firm. "We need full government support. The test will be conducted at Pokhran, a site we've been preparing for months, but we need the military to secure the area and ensure everything runs smoothly. We also have to keep this completely under wraps. The international community must not know until after the test is complete."

Rohan nodded. "You'll have everything you need. The military will secure Pokhran, and I'll ensure there are no leaks."

Dr. Sarabhai added, "We've been producing the necessary plutonium at Trombay using heavy water reactors. But transporting the material to Pokhran will be a delicate operation. It's highly radioactive and requires extreme care during transport."

"I'll have the military handle the transport," Rohan assured them. "We'll make sure it's done swiftly and quietly. The last thing we need is unwanted attention before we're ready."

For a moment, the room fell into silence as everyone absorbed the gravity of the mission. Finally, Dr. Bhabha spoke again.

"Prime Minister, we can make this happen. But it will change everything. Once India conducts this test, we'll no longer be seen as just another developing nation. We'll be recognized as a nuclear power and that comes with new responsibilities and risks."

"I'm fully aware of the risks," Rohan said firmly. "But we can't let this opportunity slip away. France will go public with their test, and this opportunity will never come again"

Dr. Bhabha exchanged a glance with Sarabhai and Ramanna, then nodded. "We're on track for February 24th."

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