Franco-Pakistan Nuclear Deal (1976): An Analytical Study

Abstract

Two events in 1970s had changed the global nuclear politics drastically: Indian nuclear explosion (1974) and the Franco-Pakistan nuclear deal (1976). The Western world had accepted the Indian nuclear status after a reluctant reaction as a counter power to that of China within Asia. But the Franco- Pakistan nuclear deal had become a challenge for the whole nuclear world led by United States of America. This deal challenged the monopoly of the nuclear powers in that field which was relatively a source of their great power status. If the nuclear power proliferates in the developing world, it might change the power hierarchy of the global politics which was not acceptable to the leaders of the global politics. So they combined their whole efforts for the cancellation of the deal. They succeeded to cancel it and consequently restricted the proliferation at certain extent but failed to control the proliferation fully in the Developing World. Different aspects of the Franco-Pakistan deal and the American approach during the whole affair become a reason for this research. Pakistan signed a nuclear deal with France under international guarantees, the question is: Why was America so determined to cancel the deal? This study also analyzed that France and Pakistan not only manipulated the nuclear politics of 1970s through this deal, it also won some other benefits. This deal was the excellent example of international double standard diplomacy (Machiavellian diplomacy) from signing to cancellation.