Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: TH
Context: Fifty years ago (1974), India conducted its first nuclear test, Operation Smiling Buddha, in Pokhran, marking its entry into the nuclear club.
Led by Dr H.N. Sethna and Dr R. Ramanna, the test yielded successful results in the 10-15 kiloton range. This made India the first nation, apart from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, to conduct such a test. In 1998, India conducted a series of nuclear tests, code-named Operation Shakti, again in Pokhran, expanding its nuclear capabilities. These tests enabled India to build nuclear weapons with yields up to around 200 kilotons.
India’s nuclear doctrine emphasizes building a credible minimum deterrent, adhering to a “No First Use” policy, and maintaining civilian political control over nuclear retaliation.
