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Operation Smiling Buddha: India conducted its first nuclear test on May 18, 1974, under PM Indira Gandhi. It made India the first non-UNSC member to test a bomb.
Operation Smiling Buddha: The Indian army tested a nuclear explosion in a 107-meter-deep underground shaft at the Pokhran Test Range in the western state of Rajasthan. (File Pic)
Operation Smiling Buddha Anniversary 2025: In what was a secret but pathbreaking mission, India conducted its maiden nuclear tests 51 years ago. With that, we became the first nation outside the United Nations Security Council’s five permanent members to successfully test a nuclear bomb. Backed by the then-PM Indira Gandhi-led government, the mission was called Operation Smiling Buddha, known today as the Pokhran-I nuclear test.
On May 18, 1974, as part of Operation Smiling Buddha, the Indian army tested a nuclear explosion in a 107-meter-deep underground shaft at the Pokhran Test Range in the western state of Rajasthan.
The name Operation Smiling Buddha was derived from Gautama Buddha, whose birthday, celebrated as ‘Buddha Jayanti’, incidentally marked the occasion of the nuclear explosion test.
Raja Ramanna, who was then the director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, sent a secret message after the testing to the Prime Minister saying, “The Buddha has finally smiled.”
The test, which raised the popularity of the Indira government, even amid criticism from countries like Canada and New Zealand, was later described as a “peaceful nuclear explosion” by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. It provided India with the boost of a foolproof nuclear weapon to combat the growing concerns about the proliferation of nuclear powers globally.
Following the successful completion of India’s nuclear test, the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) was formed. It is a group of 48 nuclear supplier countries. This group collaborated to regulate the export of nuclear-related equipment and technology apart from the material provided to the non-nuclear powers.
Operation Smiling Buddha: Quotes
- “Our nuclear science is dedicated to development, to achieving freedom for one, and providing the essentials of an honourable life for our masses. I repeat that we have no intention of embarking on a nuclear weapon program. We want to make the desert bloom and not to make the world a desert.” – Former India Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
- “The Pokhran test was a bomb, I can tell you now. An explosion is an explosion, a gun is a gun, whether you shoot at someone or shoot at the ground I just want to make clear that the test was not all that peaceful,” – Raja Ramanna, the former director of India’s nuclear program
- “The announcement of an underground nuclear explosion by India raises more urgently than ever the need for an international agreement to end all nuclear testing.” – Norman Kirk, former Prime Minister of New Zealand
- “Mrs Gandhi guaranteed peaceful use of nuclear energy, according to our definition, which did not extend to explosions. Mr Trudeau had made it clear to Mrs Gandhi that Canada would regard any nuclear explosion as a non-peaceful act.” – Ivan Head, former chief foreign policy adviser of former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau
- “I think it highly unwise to organise a worldwide reaction to Indian nuclear tests for the following reasons: First, it would antagonise India to no benefit since the test must reflect a long-term program in any event. Second, it is symptomatic of the self-serving and self-promoting tendency for the domestic record often characteristic of US foreign policy. The impact of our breast-beating on the programs of other countries will be marginal.” – Henry Kissinger, former United States, secretary of state
- “The U.S. did not believe it possible to distinguish between explosions for peaceful and military purposes.” – David T. Schneider, former US Deputy Chief of Mission
- Location :
Rajasthan, India, India
- First Published:
