Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Atal Bihari Vajpayee (often wrongly spelt Behari; अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी in Devnagari) (born December 25, 1924) was the Prime Minister of India in 1996 and again from October 13, 1998 until May 19, 2004.

Pokhran, Lahore and Kargil

Prime Minister Vajpayee began his potent term of office by changing the direction of the nation completely. In May 1998, India continued 5 absolute suprise underground nuclear weapon tests in Pokhran, Rajasthan. The 5 tests sent the desert rumbling all the way into Pakistan, and shocked and surprised the world. Two weeks later, Pakistan responded with its own nuclear testing, making it the World's newest nuclear weapons power.

Related Topics:
Pokhran - Rajasthan - Pakistan

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It is widely speculated that the tests were planned in 1995, but Vajpayee takes credit for decisively acting on such an important issue. The first and only nuclear test India undertook was in 1974, and its nuclear ability, potential and defensive systems were unproven and undeveloped since. But Pakistan's aggressively progressing nuclear program and China's atomic and ballistic missile dominance made it essential for India to rejuvenate, modernize, expand and prepare.

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The five tests took the world completely by surprise, showing not only the skill of counter-intelligence, but the leadership of PM Vajpayee, who decided to brave the worst criticism and sanctions from literally the whole world. Although nations like Russia and France endorsed India's right to defensive nuclear power, the USA, Canada, Japan, the UK and the European Union imposed sanctions on the selling of military equipment and high-tech scientific information, resources and technology to both India and Pakistan.

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Although introducing the nuclear element in South Asia, PM Vajpayee's move solidified national defenses, denying Pakistan and China a major, and terrible advantage. His popularity and the BJP's prestige rose meteorically, even though the nation began braving immense criticism and a steady decline in foreign investment and trade. PM Vajpayee also advanced the ballistic missiles program of the nation, and bolstered defence modernization and spending.

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PM Vajpayee also introduced many important economic and infrastructural reforms, encouraging the private sector, eradicating waste and restrictions and encouraging foreign investment, research and development and privatization of incompetent government entities. Soon in late 1998 and early 1999, Vajpayee began pushing for a full-scale diplomatic peace process with Pakistan. By visiting Lahore in with the historic inauguration of the Delhi-Lahore bus service in February 1999, Vajpayee initiated a historic new peace process to permanently resolve the Kashmir dispute and other territorial/nuclear/strategic conflicts with Pakistan. The Lahore Declaration espoused a commitment to dialogue, expanded trade relations and a goal of denuclearized South Asia, and mutual friendship. This eased much of the pressure created by the 1998 N-tests, not only between the two heavily militarized nations, but in South Asia and the world, and gave hope to hundreds of millions of Indians and Pakistanis that peace could still defeat the odds.

Related Topics:
Lahore - Delhi-Lahore bus service - Lahore Declaration

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In May 1999 (before the Kargil War), the AIADMK finally pulled the plug on the NDA, and the Vajpayee administration was reduced to a caretaker status pending fresh elections in October. Not this, however, but another cataclysmic event, arguably the biggest challenge of Vajpayee's administration shattered this hope of a new era, when just three months later, it was revealed that thousands of terrorists and Pakistani soldiers, (albeit un-uniformed, many carried official ids and Pakistan Army custom weaponry) had infiltrated into the Kashmir Valley, capturing control of border hilltops, unmanned border posts and spreading out fast. The action was centric to the town of Kargil, but also around the Batalik and Akhnoor sectors, including firing exchanges at the Siachen Glacier.

Related Topics:
Pakistan Army - Batalik - Akhnoor - Siachen Glacier

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Immediately major Army units were rushed into Kashmir. Operation Vijay, launched and fought throughout June, saw hundreds of brave soldiers fighting not only thousands of terorrists and soldiers amidst heavy artillery shelling, but extremely cold weather, snow and treacherous terrain at the highest altitude in the world. Over 500 soldiers died, and it is estimated around 600 Pakistani militants and soldiers died as well, but the hills and border posts were systematically liberated. Pakistan's army shot down two Air Force jets that were pounded the militants, and brutally killed and mutilated the body of pilot Ajay Ahuja, an act which angered literally hundreds of millions in India. But with steady Air Force support, the Army fought some absolutely heroic and legendary battles in heavy natural and military odds. The epic Battle of Tiger Hill, the most prominent and important hillpoint and post under militant contro, captured the anxiety and hope of 1 billion people as a few men climbed, charging into heavy fire but nevertheless liberating the post.

Related Topics:
Operation Vijay - Ajay Ahuja

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Those few hundred soldiers, the Indian Army and the Prime Minister of India were national heroes. After both the United States and China refused to condone the incursion or threaten India to stop its military operations, Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif admitted defeat and now openly asked the militants to stop and withdraw to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Pakistan was internationally exposed for this misadventure, and summarily humiliated by shady politicians and generals.

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