22 Years back today (11-May-1998), under leadership of late PM Sh. AB Vajpayee, India re-assured position as #NuclearPower by stunning series of nuclear test in #Pokharan (II).Precisely, 3 test (Shakti-1,2,3) on 11th & 2 test (Shakti-4,5) on 13-May. Feat stunned the world. Cont..
Interesting facts:
1. India's Nuclear ambitions was evident since 1944, credit to N-programme pioneer #HomiJehangirBhabha.
2. Amidst all post-independence challenges, by 1960 N-Prgm taken shape & Bhabha estimated to have N-weapon production in a year or so when asked by Nehru.
3. N-prgm derailed due to China-India War (Oct-Nov'1962) to again pick-up pace post India-Pak '65 war, when India 'felt' need of N-weapons.
4. But now big bolt to our N-ambitions- Bhabha died (or killed?) in a plane crash in 24-Jan-66, exactly after 13 days, Lal B. Shastri...
..died in mysterious circumstances in Tashkent on 11-Jan-66. (any connection?)
5. Just 3 months back Bhabha died, he had said on-air, we would have N-weapon in 18 months.
6. CIA allegedly wanted to get rid of Bhabha to “paralyse” India’s N-prog?
https://www.news18.com/news/india/has-a-swiss-climber-traced-mystery-crash-that-killed-homi-bhabha-father-of-indias-atom-bomb-1477249.html
7. Finally, India was sixth to join #NuclearClub on 18-May-1974, in the Pokharan(I) test, code name 'Smiling Buddha' after the big-5 US, Soviet Un., UK, France & China. This test was fully in consent with CIA/Int'national bodies as 'nuclear for peace' supported by US Army too.
8. After 24 yrs, amidst lot domestic (75 emergency, political) turmoils & int'national pressure, in '98 #Pokharan-II tested. Secretly & successfully.
9. Largely greeted by Indians except Congress who refuted it for 'political score' by BJP.
10. Parmanu film is based on Pokharan2.
11. Int'national critics, condemnation, sanctions:US, China, Pakistan(any doubt?), Japan, Canada etc.
12. Countries 'refrained' to condemn: UK, France, Russia
13. India's 'secret' N-test earned major embarrassment to US intel CIA, noted as "a serious intel failure of the decade".
14. CIA also (seemingly) irked further as one of three test shaft was code named as 'White House'
15. Despite persistent push since 70's, India firmly remains outside both the N-treaty- NPT & CTBT.
16. In PM Modi's strong pitch for N-energy, India recently accepted as a member...
..of 3 of the 4 major export control regimes. a) MTCR in 2016, b) Wassenaar in 2017 c) Australia Group in 2018.
17. India is aggressively pushing for membership of NSG, however being blocked by China so far.
https://www.nti.org/learn/countries/india/nuclear/
18. Major credit 'Operation Shakti'
a. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, Sci. Adviser PM, Head @DRDO_India
b. Dr R Chidambaram, Chairman,AtomicEnergyDept
c. Dr K. Santhanam, Dir,DRDO
d. Dr Anil Kakodkar, Dir, @BARCIndia
e. Indian Army & all involved scientists

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