#TodayInHistory #Pokhran2, India conducted series of 5 nuclear explosions in 1998, the 2nd nuclear test after Smiling Buddha in 1974. Operation Shakti was carried out with 1 fusion bomb and 4 fission bombs. A landmark day in modern Indian history.

Operation Shakti marked India's entry into the nuclear club, culmination of a process that began in 1945, when Homi Bhabha set up TIFR. Preliminary studies were carried out at BARC in 1950 to develop plutonium and other components. It slowed down a bit in the middle.

Nuclear test by China in 1967, at Lop Nur Test Base, was the key to take up the nuclear program more aggresively, and Indira Gandhi as PM, gave full support to the mission, resulting in India's first nuclear test at Pokhran in 1974.

However Operation Smiling Buddha in a way affected India's nuclear program, with the world's major nuke powers imposing a tech embargo. The Nuclear Suppliers Group blocked key technology to India, making the program struggle, due to lack of resources.

The emergency, Indira's subsequent loss in 1977, and Morarji Desai's lack of interest, saw the nuclear program slowing down substantially. On the other hand Pakistan was going about it's atomic bomb program, with all the organization and funding.

Indira came back in 1980, Raja Ramanna once again took up the nuclear program, and it began to gain momentum. However Indira refused to conduct further tests. It was around this time, India's missile program began under APJ Abdul Kalam.

The decade between 1988-98 was marked by political instability, Rajiv's assasination, worsening relations between India and Pakistan. The Prithvi missiles were developed during this time, and the Kashmir issue worsened further.

PV Narasimha Rao decided to conduct the nuclear tests in 1995, however he had to scrap the plan after American spy satellites, picked up signs of preparation for it. Add to it Bill Clinton, then US Prez, exerted enormous pressure on India not to conduct the tests.

When Vajpayee began the PM in 1998, he began to pursue the nuclear program more aggresively. He clearly stated- "there is no compromise on national security; all options including the nuclear options will be exercised to protect security and sovereignty."

Vajpayee consulted APJ Abdul Kalam, DAE head R.Chidambaram and leading officials of DAE, on the nuclear tests. On March 28,1998 Vajpayee directed Kalam and Chidambaram to make preparations in shortest possible time.

The major issue facing India was the location, unlike Pakistan that was conducting nuke tests in mountains, Pokhran was flat desert, except some bushes and dunes, no place to hide. It was very hard to cover it from the CIA Spy Satellites, hovering over it.

Gopal Kaushik commander of Indian Army's Engineer Corps, undertook the responsibility of ensuring the preparations for #Pokhran2 were kept under secrecy and could not be detected. Planning was done by a select group of scientists, senior military officers.

Many senior officials in the Govt themselves had no idea about #Pokhran2. Kalam then chief of DRDO, R.Chidambaram, DAE director, were chief coordinators. Scientists and engineers from BARC, AMDER, DRDO were involved in the mission. All scientists had to wear army uniforms.

All scientists wore army uniforms to avoid detection. Work was done during night, and equipment was returned to the original place to give an impression it was never moved. Bomb shafts were dug under camouflage nets, and dug outs were shaped like dunes #Pokhran2

Instead of travelling to Pokhran in groups, scientists travelled to other destinations under pseudonyms, from where the Army transported them. Technical staff wore military uniforms too, to prevent detection by satellite.

Men behind #Pokhran2
APJ Abdul Kalam- DRDO
R.Chidambaram- Director, DAE
Santhanam- Director, Test Preparations
Anil Kakodkar- Director, BARC
Satinder Kumar Sikka, M.S.Ramakumar and so many others, Salute the Heroes, behind it.

May 1, 1998, the bombs were transpored in 4 Army Trucks under Col Umang Kapur, from Mumbai to Jaisalmer Army base, flown in a special IAF AN-32 aircraft. From Jaisalmer, they were transported to Pokhran in an army convoy of 4 trucks, needing 3 trips #Pokhran2

The preparation hall was named as "Prayer Hall" to avoid suspicion. The test sites were organized into two groups, the first consisted of Shakti 1, fission device Shakti 2 and sub kiloton device Shakti 3. Group 2 consisted of Shakti 4 and 5 that wud be tested later.

Shakti 1, the thermo nuclear device was placed in a shaft codenamed White House, Shakti 2 was placed in the shaft called Taj Mahal, and Shakti 3 in shaft called Kumbhakaran. All shafts were L-Shaped, with a horizontal chamber for test device #Pokhran2

By early afternoon the winds had died down, and the tests were initiated, Dr.K.Santanam of DRDO, gave the 2 keys tat activated the countdown to M.Vasudev, the Range Safety Officer. After checking, Vasudev gave the keys to a representative of DRDO and BARC. #Pokhran2

3:45 PM, May 11, 1998, the detonations took place
Shakti 1- 45 Kilo Ton Thermonuclear Device
Shakti 2- Plutonium Device of 15KT
Shakti 3- Linear implosion design device
All detonated simultaneously, history was made #Pokhran2

12:21 PM IST, May 12, 1998
Shakti 4 and Shakti 5 were detonated.
May 13, 1998 AB Vajpayee announces in Parliament, the succesful conduct of tests at #Pokhran2, History was made.

India became the 6th nation to join the Nuclear Club after #Pokhran2. Jubilation all over India, except for some whining Leftists and Liberals. The Congress Party predictably sulked, accusing ABV of conducting the tests for political ends, than security.

US was the first to condemn #Pokhran2 and imposed sanctions. It however as massive intelligence failure, literally Uncle Sam had to end up with egg on face. US tried to bully India into rolling back it's nuclear program, however India took a firm stand, refused to join CTBT.

Canada, Japan, Australia were among the other nations to impose sanctions on India following #Pokhran2. China predictably was furious, asking India to stop further development of nukes, and so was Pakistan. Only UK, France and Russia backed India and did not condemn tests.

UN passed Resolution 1172 condemning the tests, China called upon the international community to exert pressure on India to sign the NPT. However the economic effect due to sanctions was not really much, many nations continued their trade as usual #Pokhran2

I end this thread on #Pokhran2 with an eyewitness description-"Around 200 to 300 m deep in the earth, the heat generated was equivalent to a million degrees centigrade - as hot as temperatures on the sun.

Instantly, rocks weighing around a thousand tons, a mini mountain underground, vapourized... shockwaves from the blast began to lift a mound of earth the size of a football field by several metres. I now believe the story of Lord Krishna lifting the hill," #Pokhran2