Not just the nuclear program. The space programme at ISRO has also been constantly been threatened by foreign powers, often acting with political powers in India. The case of Nambi Narayanan is by far the most infamous, where the Kerala State Govt. was actively conspiring (with what circumstantially, and in Nambi's opinion, appears to be US) against Indian state interests. Imagine the furore that would be caused if Texas were conspiring with the USSR to overthrow the republic, but of course, in India, the media remains mum for reasons unknown.

This shouldn't be surprising - Mitrokhin notes how Indian ministers were falling over themselves to inform KGB/CIA for financial gain, and how Indira Gandhi herself was on KGB payroll. The media (nor the elite) is very different, as many recent scandals have shown.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nambi_Narayanan

https://www.telegraphindia.com/opinion/the-kgb-papers-it-see...