India-Pakistan Relations - Technological Races and Legacy in Education

Technological Races and Legacy in Education

See also: Asian space race, India and weapons of mass destruction, Pakistan and weapons of mass destruction, and nuclear race

Since 1980s, India and Pakistan have made productive research and development in supercomputing, information technology and scientific applications relating to the computer science. Since the early 1990s, the economic liberalisation and privatisation poicy measure programs led to the rise and boom of information technology and media industry in both countries. The scientific competition in 1970s led the increased in the funding for the science and technology development from childhood education through the post-graduate level in India and Pakistan's school systems. Each and every years, Pakistan invited scientists from all over the world, including India's, to participate in the largest physical sciences and mathematics summer research seminar in Pakistan, to make joint efforts in the development and the benefits of the science and technology.

India has a long history of covertly working towards the nuclear weapons. Origins of India's nuclear program are dated back to 1944 and started its nuclear program soon after its independence. From 1940s–60s, India's nuclear program slowly matured towards the militarisation and expanded the nuclear power infrastructure all over the country during this mean time. Decisions towards the development of nuclear weapons were made by the Indian political leadership after the successful Chinese invasion and territorial annexation of northern India. In 1967, India's nuclear program was forwarded towards the development of the nuclear weapons, with Indira Gandhi carefully overseeing the development of weapons. In 1971, India gained military and political momentum over on Pakistan after a successful military campaign against Pakistan. Starting its preparations for a nuclear test in 1972, India finally exploded its first nuclear bomb in Pokhran test range, codename Smiling Buddha, in 1974.

After the succession of East-Pakistan, Pakistan launched its own integrated atomic bomb program in 1972, and accelerated its efforts in 1974. This large-scale but highly clandestine atomic bomb program was directly in response to India's nuclear program. In 1983, Pakistan achieved a great mile its efforts after it covertly performed the series of non-fission tests, codename Kirana-I; yet no official announcements of such cold tests existence were made by Pakistan government. Over the several years, Pakistan expanded and modernised its nuclear power expansion all over the country to harness its electricity sector and to provide back-up support and benefits the rise of its national economy. In 1988, a mutual understanding was reached between two countries in which each pledged not to attack nuclear facilities. Agreements on cultural exchanges and civil aviation were also initiated, also in 1988. Finally, in 1988, India exploded its second nuclear test (see: Pokhran-II) which invited Pakistan to follow the latter's step and performed its own atomic tests (see:Chagai-I and Chagai-II).

Pakistan pursued its research and development in space and astrophysics in 1961 after giving commission to its space program led by Space Research Commission (SUPARCO). Its unmanned flight test program achieved a great feat after launching its first rocket in orbit, Rehbar-I. By 1969, India had its active and large-scale space program directed by ISRO. Development towards satellites began in 1970s; finally in 1975, India's space program recorded its first success when Indian ISRO put the country's first artificial satellite, Aryabhata in orbit. Pakistan concerns that they had fallen behind the India in the race to space led quickly to a push by legislators and educators for greater emphasis on mathematics and the physical sciences in Pakistan's schools and universities. (see: Pakistan inventions and discoveries and SRC scientific missions)

Finally in 1990, Pakistan followed India's suit, and put its own and first artificial satellite, Badr-1, in Earth orbit. During the 1980s–90s, India marked the beginning of development towards the space and nuclear rockets, which marked Pakistan's efforts to step up in the space race with India. Pakistan's own program developed the space and nuclear missiles and began the unmanned flight tests of its space vehicles in the mid-1990s which continues as of present. In 2008, India's ISRO marked a great international success after launching its moon probe, Chandrayaan-1 in 2008 and continues to advance its space program towards the enhancement of science and technology in India. With the technical assistance from China, Pakistan launched its first geostationary satellite, Paksat-1R in 2011.