50 years since India’s First Nuclear Test
Published on 31 Mar 2025
- Fifty years ago (1974), India conducted its first nuclear test, Operation Smiling Buddha, in Pokhran, marking its entry into the nuclear club.
- Led by Dr H.N. Sethna and Dr R. Ramanna, the test yielded successful results in the 10-15 kiloton range.
- This made India the first nation, apart from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, to conduct such a test.
- In 1998, India conducted a series of nuclear tests, code-named Operation Shakti, again in Pokhran, expanding its nuclear capabilities.
- These tests enabled India to build nuclear weapons with yields up to around 200 kilotons.
- India’s nuclear doctrine emphasises building a credible minimum deterrent, adhering to a “No First Use” policy.