"Dr. Ramanna, proceed with the decision... this will be for the good of the nation." This was the message conveyed by the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to scientist Raja Ramanna on May 17, 1974. With the Prime Minister’s approval secured, the team of scientists and engineers led by Ramanna moved into the final preparations of a major mission they had been executing in total secrecy.
The next day dawned. It was May 18, 1974. The time was 08:05 AM. As scientist Pranab Rebatiranjan Dastidar pressed the button before him, a historic moment was born. In the Pokhran desert of Rajasthan, dust clouds rose with a massive sound. The entire world was astonished. When the operation was successfully completed, the scientists sent a message to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi: "The Buddha Has Smiled."

India conducted its first nuclear test in Pokhran in the name of Buddha, the symbol of peace. Thus, India became the sixth country to develop nuclear weapons after the US, Russia, UK, France, and China. Currently, India is one of the nine countries in the world possessing nuclear weapons.

Why India Developed Nuclear Weapons?

Border disputes and India's declaration of support for the Tibetan liberation movement under the Dalai Lama culminated in the 1961 Sino-Indian War. Although the war ended after months, China conducted a nuclear test in 1964. Following this, protests erupted in Pakistan regarding the formation of Bangladesh. India supported the creation of Bangladesh. India's backing of an independent Bangladesh increased Pakistan's hostility toward India. This led to attacks, counter-attacks, and eventually war between India and Pakistan.

It was in this critical situation, surrounded by growing adversaries, that India secretly began developing nuclear weapons. Since 1967, India had been preparing for a nuclear test under the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). A team of approximately 75 scientists and engineers led by Raja Ramanna, P. K. Iyengar, and Rajagopala Chidambaram spearheaded the secret nuclear project. The pace of the project accelerated after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi gave her full consent during a BARC meeting held on September 7, 1972.

The Pokhran Test:

Because India was surrounded by enemies and relations with the United States were strained at the time, the nuclear test was conducted in extreme secrecy. India had to carry out the test by bypassing American satellites and intelligence systems, including the CIA. To ensure no harm to the public, the deserted area of Pokhran in the Rajasthan desert was chosen for the experiment.
The scientists' preparations took place under the cover of darkness. All of India's moves were made by deceiving the American KH-11 satellite. The project, known as the Pokhran-I nuclear test, was codenamed "Smiling Buddha." India gave the test this name because the day of the experiment coincided with the birthday of Siddhartha Buddha.

How the Pokhran Nuclear Weapon Was Built:

India chose an implosion-type design for this project, similar to the "Fat Man" bomb dropped on Nagasaki during World War II. The method involves using high-explosives to intensely compress a plutonium core, creating a nuclear explosion through that pressure. Approximately 6 kg of plutonium extracted from the CIRUS reactor was used as fuel. To accurately initiate the nuclear chain reaction, a polonium-beryllium initiator, codenamed "Flower," was also equipped.

Various parts of this device were developed in different Indian cities. The implosion system was prepared in Chandigarh, and the detonation system was readied in Pune. Engineers at BARC assembled all these parts to give the device its final form. The device, which was about 1.25 meters wide and weighed 1,400 kg, was constructed in a hexagonal shape.

In the final stage of the experiment, the device, fixed on a metal tripod, was transported to the test shaft via a rail system. To maintain the extreme secrecy of the test, the Indian Army covered these rail tracks and other related equipment with sand to hide them completely. These precautions greatly helped in concealing the test from external surveillance.

India's Second Nuclear Test:

About twenty years later, in 1998, India conducted a second nuclear test at Pokhran itself. Under the name "Operation Shakti," India conducted about five tests over two days. Although many countries worldwide criticized India, it is a historical fact that these nuclear tests enhanced India's prestige in front of other nations.