Smiling Buddha (MEA Designation: Pokhran - I) was the assigned code name of India’s first successful nuclear bomb test on 18 May 1974. The bomb was detonated on the Army Base Pokhran Test Range (PTR), in Rajasthan by the Indian Army under the supervision of several key Indian generals.
The test was conducted on 18 May 1974 under the supervision of Raja Ramanna, who was then the director of Indian Premier Nuclear Research Institute Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC).
India is observing the 46th anniversary of its first nuclear test in Rajasthan Pokhran. The peaceful test- code named ‘Smiling Buddha’ conducted in 1974 helped India become the sixth country in the world to conduct a nuclear test.
The test was named ‘Smiling Buddha’ because it was conducted on Buddha Purnima that year. “The Buddha has smiled, “Dr Ramanna is learnt to have told then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi After the test.
With this feat, India became the first country outside the five permanent Inited Nations Security Council (UNSC) member to conduct the test.
Though the BARC never said anything about the yield of the device detonated at Pokhran, experts maintained that the actual yield was around 8-12 Kilotons of TNT. The key highlight of the test was that India managed to avoid detection by the United States and other intelligence agencies. Though the BARC never said anything about the yield of the device detonated at Pokhran, experts maintained that the actual yield was around 8-12 Kilotons of TNT. The key highlight of the test was that India managed to avoid detection by the United States and other intelligence agencies.
Pokhran -I was also the first confirmed nuclear weapons test by a nation outside the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. Officially, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs characterised this test as a “peaceful nuclear explosion”. Indira Gandhi, teh then Prime Minister of India saw a massive rise in popularity following this test. After this, a series of nuclear tests were carried out in 1998 under the name Pokhran-II.
We must develop this atomic energy quite apart from war – indeed I think we must develop it for the purpose of using it for peaceful purposes.
... Of course, if we are compelled as a nation to use it for other purposes, possibly no pious sentiments of any of us will stop the nation from using it that way.