query: when did india conduct it 's first nuclear test at pokhran

pos: Smiling Buddha Smiling Buddha Smiling Buddha (MEA designation: Pokhran-I) was the assigned code name of India's first successful nuclear bomb test on 18 May 1974. The bomb was detonated on the , Pokhran Test Range (PTR), in Rajasthan by the Indian Army under the supervision of several key . "Pokhran-I" was also the first confirmed nuclear weapons test by a nation outside the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. Officially, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) claimed this test was a "peaceful nuclear explosion", but it was an accelerated nuclear programme. India started its own nuclear programme in

pos: Smiling Buddha any agreement and proceeded with a June 1974 shipment of enriched uranium for the Tarapur reactor. France sent a congratulatory telegram to India but later withdrew it. Despite many proposals, India did not carry out further nuclear tests until 1998. After the 1998 general elections, Operation Shakti (also known as Pokhran-II) was carried out at the Pokhran test site, using devices designed and built over the preceding two decades. Smiling Buddha Smiling Buddha (MEA designation: Pokhran-I) was the assigned code name of India's first successful nuclear bomb test on 18 May 1974. The bomb was detonated on the , Pokhran

pos: Nuclear Command Authority (India) Nuclear Command Authority (India) The Nuclear Command Authority (NCA) of India is the authority responsible for command, control and operational decisions regarding India's nuclear weapons programme. India's first Nuclear test was conducted on 18 May 1974 with the code name Smiling Buddha. Since then India has conducted another series of tests at the Pokhran test range in the state of Rajasthan in 1998, which included a thermonuclear test, code named Operation Shakti. India has an extensive civil and military nuclear program, which includes at least 10 nuclear reactors, uranium mining and milling sites, heavy water production facilities, a uranium enrichment

pos: Nuclear Command Authority (India) hotline on Sunday, June 20, 2004. The hotline was set up with the assistance of United States military officers. Nuclear Command Authority (India) The Nuclear Command Authority (NCA) of India is the authority responsible for command, control and operational decisions regarding India's nuclear weapons programme. India's first Nuclear test was conducted on 18 May 1974 with the code name Smiling Buddha. Since then India has conducted another series of tests at the Pokhran test range in the state of Rajasthan in 1998, which included a thermonuclear test, code named Operation Shakti. India has an extensive civil and military nuclear program,

pos: Anwar Ali (physicist) scholarship university to pursue his PhD. in nuclear physics. On 18 May 1974, when India conducted a nuclear test of its first device, codenamed Pokhran-I, Ali he left his alma mater and his Ph.D studies, which he was expected to receive in 2 weeks. He immediately returned to Pakistan where he joined Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission led by Munir Ahmad Khan. In 2009, after retiring as Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission chairman, Ali was awarded his an honorary Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in nuclear physics by the dr. Stephen Murray at the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences in 2009

pos: Science and technology in India develop the Indian space program and advance nuclear power in India even after the first nuclear test explosion by India on 18 May 1974 at Pokhran. India accounts for about 10% of all expenditure on research and development in Asia and the number of scientific publications grew by 45% over the five years to 2007. However, according to former Indian science and technology minister Kapil Sibal, India is lagging in science and technology compared to developed countries. India has only 140 researchers per 1,000,000 population, compared to 4,651 in the United States. India invested US$3.7 billion in science and technology

pos: V. S. Ramamurthy V. S. Ramamurthy Valangiman Subramanian Ramamurthy is an Indian nuclear physicist and a former director and incumbent emeritus professor of the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru. He is a former chairman of the Recruitment and Assessment Board of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and has served as a member of the design team of the first Indian nuclear experiment in Pokhran on 18 May 1974. The Government of India awarded him the third highest Indian civilian honour of Padma Bhushan in 2005. Born on 2 April 1942 in the part of Madras Presidency that is now the

pos: Gopal Gurunath Bewoor contacted the regiment commander, Lt. Col. Subherwal, in May 1973 to dig the shaft. In June 1973 Prime Minister Indira Gandhi took General Bewoor into confidence and ordered him to support the project. After an initial setback - the finding of water at the first drill site - the location of the test was shifted to the village of Malki near Pokhran, Rajasthan. Bewoor was personally present at the test site and witnessed the actual nuclear explosion of 18 May 1974. He was the first to inform the Prime Minister's Office via a telephone call to D.P. Dhar. A. Parthasarthi

pos: V. S. Ramamurthy the chairman and chaired the standing advisory group on nuclear applications of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Ramamurthy was a member of the team which designed the Smiling Buddha project for carrying out the first Indian nuclear experiment at Pokhran on 18 May 1974. During his stint as the director of the Institute of Physics, he was the leader of the "atomic and molecular clusters and low energy accelerator" project and contributed to the setting up of the 3 MV accelerator centre at the institute. He was also involved in the "high energy nuclear physics programme" using the heavy

neg: Pokhran-II were carried out on 11 May 1998. It was officially signed by then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1998 and the day is celebrated by giving awards to various individuals and industries in the field of science and technology. Pokhran-II The Pokhran-II tests were a series of five nuclear bomb test explosions conducted by India at the Indian Army's Pokhran Test Range in May 1998. It was the second instance of nuclear testing conducted by India; the first test, code-named "Smiling Buddha", was conducted in May 1974. "Pokhran-II" consisted of five detonations, the first of which was a fusion bomb

neg: Pokhran-II Pokhran-II The Pokhran-II tests were a series of five nuclear bomb test explosions conducted by India at the Indian Army's Pokhran Test Range in May 1998. It was the second instance of nuclear testing conducted by India; the first test, code-named "Smiling Buddha", was conducted in May 1974. "Pokhran-II" consisted of five detonations, the first of which was a fusion bomb while the remaining four were fission bombs. The tests were initiated on 11 May 1998, under the assigned code name "Operation Shakti", with the detonation of one fusion and two fission bombs. On 13 May 1998, two additional fission

neg: Pokhran known formally as the "Peaceful Nuclear Explosive" (PNE), but elsewhere, especially after its detonation, it was and continues to be known generally as Operation "Smiling Buddha". The Ministry of External Affairs designated the test "Pokhran-I". After the test, the Indian government declared that it did not intend to manufacture nuclear weaponsalthough it had the means to do sobut rather make India self-reliant in nuclear technology and harness nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. The test range was built by the Indian Army Corps of Engineers and is under the control of Indian Army. On 11 and 13 May 1998, twenty-four years

neg: Pokhran-II observe this temporary moratorium for fear of inviting international criticism. The Indian public had been supportive towards the nuclear tests which ultimately led Prime Minister Narasimha Rao deciding to conduct further tests in 1995. Plans were halted after American spy satellites picked up signs of preparations for nuclear testing at Pokhran Test Range in Rajasthan. President Bill Clinton and his administration exerted enormous pressure on Prime Minister Narasimha Rao to stop the preparations. Responding to India, Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto issued harsh and severe statements against India on Pakistan's news channels; thus putting stress on the relations between two countries.

neg: Indira Gandhi The program became fully mature in 1974, when Dr. Raja Ramanna reported to Gandhi that India had the ability to test its first nuclear weapon. Gandhi gave verbal authorisation of this test, and preparations were made in a long-constructed army base, the Indian Army Pokhran Test Range. In 1974, India successfully conducted an underground nuclear test, unofficially code named as ""Smiling Buddha"", near the desert village of Pokhran in Rajasthan. As the world was quiet by this test, a vehement protest came forward from Pakistan. Great ire was raised in Pakistan and its Prime Minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, described this

neg: Pokhran the national average of 74.0%: male literacy is 68%, and female literacy is 41%. In Pokhran, 19% of the population is under 6 years of age. The Pokhran Test Range, a key component of India's nuclear programme, is located in the municipality. The "Indian Nuclear Test Site" is located 45 km north-west of Pokhran town and 4 km north of "Khetolai" village. It was built sometime before May 1974, when, following authorization given to the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, it hosted the detonation of India's first nuclear device. Within the government, the device's development was

neg: M. S. Ramakumar M. S. Ramakumar Mallasamudram Subramanyam Ramakumar was an Indian mechanical engineer, outstanding scientist and roboticist, known for developing robotic and automation technologies for Indian nuclear and defence purposes. He was the director of Nuclear Fuels, Automation and Manufacturing Group of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Trombay. He was the first Head of Division of Remote Handling of Robotics (DRHR) at the organization. He pioneered robotic technology in India. Ramakumar was one of the key persons behind the Pokhran-II test, conducted by India in 1998. It was his team, which developed the online fuelling and coolant channel inspection systems for

neg: Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme in the region, and in response to Pakistan's deployment of M-11 missiles bought from China, the Indian Government in August 1995 procured six batteries of Russian S-300 Surface-to-air missiles to protect New Delhi and other cities. In May 1998, India for the second time (since its first test in 1974) tested nuclear weapons ("see Pokhran-II"), followed by Pakistan ("see Chagai-I") with its first-ever nuclear test. With Pakistan's testing of nuclear weapons and missile delivery systems, this threat intensified. India has also developed and tested missile delivery systems ("see IGMDP"). In 1999, the Kargil War between India and Pakistan became the

neg: CIA activities in India in character — what is today known as `back channel diplomacy' — but RAW's special operations and SIGINT/IMINT unit, the Aviation Research Centre, received technical assistance from the U.S. in return for information on China. India's first nuclear test, on India's May 18, 1974, was a surprise to the Intelligence Community, although the overall nuclear program and incentives to build a bomb had been discussed. "India conducted an underground nuclear test at a site in the desert at Pokhran - making it the world's seventh nuclear power and the sixth to test (Israel having achieved nuclear status in 1966 without

neg: Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran the nuclear test setup. The whole mission is to be kept confidential. He selects five members each from following organisation - BARC (Bhabha Atomic Research Centre), DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation), Indian Army, ISA, IB (Intelligence Bureau (India)). The team proceeds to start with the nuclear test setup in Pokhran. The surge of activity alerts local spies of CIA and ISI living in Pokhran after which they fix mics in Ashwath's guest house room to get the information about the nuclear test. After facing several challenges, the team is able to have a successful test, which establishes the country

neg: Rajagopala Chidambaram during 1994–95. He was also a member of the Commission of Eminent Persons appointed by the Director-General, IAEA, in 2008 to prepare a report on "The Role of the IAEA to 2020 and Beyond". Throughout his career, Chidambaram played a key role in developing India's nuclear weapons, being a part of the team conducting the first Indian nuclear test (Smiling Buddha) at Pokhran Test Range in 1974. He gained international fame when he led and represented the team of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) while observing and leading efforts to conduct the second nuclear tests in May 1998. Chidambaram

neg: Pokhran-II These six underground nuclear tests at the Chagai and Kharan test site were conducted fifteen days after India's last test. The total yield of the tests was reported to be 40 kt (see codename: "Chagai-I"). Pakistan's subsequent tests invited similar condemnation from the United States. American President Bill Clinton was quoted as saying "Two wrongs don't make a right", criticising Pakistan's tests as reactionary to India's Pokhran-II. The United States and Japan reacted by imposing economic sanctions on Pakistan. According to the Pakistan's science community, the Indian nuclear tests gave an opportunity to Pakistan to conduct nuclear tests after 14

neg: India–Pakistan relations militarisation and expanded the nuclear power infrastructure throughout the country. Decisions on the development of nuclear weapons were made by Indian political leaders after the Chinese invasion and territorial annexation of northern India. In 1967, India's nuclear program was aimed at the development of nuclear weapons, with Indira Gandhi carefully overseeing the development of weapons. In 1971, India gained military and political momentum over Pakistan, after a successful military campaign against Pakistan. Starting preparations for a nuclear test in 1972, India finally exploded its first nuclear bomb in Pokhran test range, codename "Smiling Buddha", in 1974. During the 1980s–90s, India

neg: Pokhran-II the nuclear program slowed down when Vikram Sarabhai became its head and little interest of Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1965. After Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister in 1966, the nuclear program was consolidated when physicist Raja Ramanna joined the efforts. Another nuclear test by China eventually led to India's decision toward building nuclear weapons in 1967 and conducted its first nuclear test, Smiling Buddha, in 1974. Responding to Smiling Buddha, the Nuclear Suppliers Group severely affected the India's nuclear program. The world's major nuclear powers imposed technological embargo on India and Pakistan, which was technologically racing to meet

neg: Ishfaq Ahmad surprise nuclear tests, codename Pokhran-II, of India reached to him. On 16 May 1998, Ahmad cut short his trip and returned to Pakistan to attend meeting with Prime minister Nawaz Sharif, and arranged his meeting with Prime minister on 17 May 1998. The message was bestowed to him by the Joint Headquarters at Rawalpindi, informing him to remain on stand-by a meeting with the Prime Minister. After commencing the meeting with the Prime minister, Ahmad received green signal from the government of Pakistan to conduct country's first test as a suitable reply to Indian nuclear aggression. Ahmad personally supervised the

neg: Homi Sethna Dulal Nagchaudhuri (head of the DRDO) received the Padma Vibhushan. Homi Sethna Homi Nusserwanji Sethna (24 August 1923 – 5 September 2010) was an Indian nuclear scientist and a chemical engineer, gaining international fame as the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (India) during the time when the first nuclear test, codename "Smiling Buddha" in Pokhran Test Range in 1974 was conducted. He was the primary and central figure in India's civilian nuclear program as well as the construction of nuclear power plants. He was awarded the second highest civilian award the Padma Vibhushan in 1975, by Government of India.

neg: Homi Sethna Homi Sethna Homi Nusserwanji Sethna (24 August 1923 – 5 September 2010) was an Indian nuclear scientist and a chemical engineer, gaining international fame as the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (India) during the time when the first nuclear test, codename "Smiling Buddha" in Pokhran Test Range in 1974 was conducted. He was the primary and central figure in India's civilian nuclear program as well as the construction of nuclear power plants. He was awarded the second highest civilian award the Padma Vibhushan in 1975, by Government of India. Earlier in his career, he had full technical responsibility for

neg: Nuclear warfare world, had been living with the concept of mutual assured destruction (MAD) for about a decade, and it became deeply ingrained into the psyche and popular culture of those countries. On May 18, 1974, India conducted its first nuclear test in the Pokhran test range. The name of the operation was Smiling Buddha, and India termed the test as a "peaceful nuclear explosion". The Soviet Duga early warning over-the-horizon radar system was made operational in 1976. The extremely powerful radio transmissions needed for such a system led to much disruption of civilian shortwave broadcasts, earning it the nickname "Russian Woodpecker".

neg: Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran "Padmaavat" (2018). It was further delayed owing to conflicts between the producers of the film, Abraham and KriArj Entertainment. It was eventually released on 25 May 2018. The movie starts in 1995, when China had already completed 43 nuclear tests while India was still at 1 peaceful nuclear test in 1974 and is under immense pressure from other nuclear countries and rival neighbours Pakistan and China. The Prime Minister's Office meets and discusses alternatives to deal with the power show by China. Ashwath Raina (John Abraham), an engineer, suggests a plan to perform a retaliatory nuclear test but is ridiculed

neg: Pokhran-II indicated that Pakistan was ready to conduct a nuclear test. He stated: "Pakistan is prepared to match India, we have the capability... We in Pakistan will maintain a balance with India in all fields", he said in an interview. "We are in a headlong arms race on the subcontinent." On 13 May 1998, Pakistan bitterly condemned the tests, and Foreign Minister Gohar Ayub was quoted as saying that Indian leadership seemed to "have gone berserk [sic] and was acting in a totally unrestrained way." Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was much more subdued, maintaining ambiguity about whether a test would be

neg: CIRUS reactor first went critical July 10, 1960. The reactor was not under IAEA safeguards (which did not exist when the reactor was sold), although Canada stipulated, and the U.S. supply contract for the heavy water explicitly specified, that it only be used for peaceful purposes. Nonetheless, CIRUS produced some of India's initial weapons-grade plutonium stockpile, as well as the plutonium for India's 1974 Pokhran-I (Codename Smiling Buddha) nuclear test, the country's first nuclear test. At a capacity factor of 50–80%, CIRUS can produce 6.6–10.5 kg of plutonium a year. CIRUS was shut down in September 1997 for refurbishment and was scheduled

neg: Indian Armed Forces in possession of nuclear weapons since 1974. Its most recent nuclear test took place on 11 May 1998, when Operation Shakti (Pokhran-II) was initiated with the detonation of one fusion and three fission bombs. On 13 May 1998, two additional fission devices were detonated. However, India maintains a "no-first use" and a nuclear deterrence policy against nuclear adversaries. Its nuclear doctrine envisages building a credible minimum deterrent for maintaining a "second strike capability" which would be massive and designed to induce unacceptable damage on the enemy. India is one of only four nations in the world to possess a Nuclear

neg: Premiership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee groups in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. In May, 1998 India conducted five underground nuclear tests – Pokhran-II, following the Pokhran-I test of 1974. These tests established India as a nuclear weapons power, although it also resulted in the imposition of limited sanctions by the U.S., UK, Canada and other nations. By 2001, most of these sanctions had been lifted. In 1999, two months after the bilateral summit in Lahore, India discovered that Pakistani army disguised as terrorists had infiltrated through the Line of Control (LoC) into the state of Jammu and Kashmir with active Pakistani assistance and participation.

neg: Raja Ramanna small miniature nuclear device. Indira Gandhi verbally gave permission to Ramanna to carry out the test, and preparation was taken under Ramanna. Ramanna immediately travelled to Pokhran to pay a visit to the nuclear site that was constructed under his guidance. Preparations were completed under extreme secrecy and the first nuclear device was flown from Trombay to Pokhran Test Range with Ramanna. Ramanna and his team installed the nuclear device in the nuclear test site and necessary preparations were done before Indira Gandhi's visit to his site. In the morning in May 1974, Ramanna conducted the first test of a

neg: Pokhran-II bomb, infrastructure, and research on related technologies have been undertaken by India since World War II. Origins of India's nuclear program dates back to 1944 when nuclear physicist Homi Bhabha began persuading the Indian Congress towards the harnessing of nuclear energy— a year later he established the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR). In 1950s, the preliminary studies were carried out at the BARC and plans were developed to produce plutonium and other bomb components. In 1962, India and China engaged in the disputed northern front, and was further intimidated with Chinese nuclear test in 1964. Direction towards militarisation of

neg: Atal Bihari Vajpayee again dissolved and fresh elections were held. In May 1998, India conducted five underground nuclear tests in the Pokhran desert in Rajasthan, 24 years after its first nuclear test (Smiling Buddha) in 1974. Two weeks later, Pakistan responded with its own nuclear tests making it the newest nation with declared nuclear capability. While some nations, such as France, endorsed India's right to defensive nuclear power, others including the United States, Canada, Japan, Britain and the European Union imposed sanctions on information, resources and technology to India. In spite of intense international criticism and steady decline in foreign investment and trade,

neg: S. K. Sikka S. K. Sikka Satinder Kumar Sikka is an Indian nuclear condensed matter physicist, crystallographer and a former Scientific Secretary to the Principal Scientific Advisor of the Government of India. He is known to have played a crucial role, along with Raja Ramanna, Rajagopala Chidambaram and Basanti Dulal Nagchaudhuri, in the design and development of a Hydrogen Bomb by India, which was tested at the Pokhran Test Range in May 1998, under the code name, Operation Shakthi. He was also involved in the Smiling Buddha tests, conducted in 1974. He was awarded the fourth highest civilian award of the Padma Shri,

neg: S. K. Sikka S. K. Sikka Satinder Kumar Sikka is an Indian nuclear condensed matter physicist, crystallographer and a former Scientific Secretary to the Principal Scientific Advisor of the Government of India. He is known to have played a crucial role, along with Raja Ramanna, Rajagopala Chidambaram and Basanti Dulal Nagchaudhuri, in the design and development of a Hydrogen Bomb by India, which was tested at the Pokhran Test Range in May 1998, under the code name, Operation Shakthi. He was also involved in the Smiling Buddha tests, conducted in 1974. He was awarded the fourth highest civilian award of the Padma Shri,

neg: Pokhran kt. Pokhran Pokhran is a city and a municipality located in the Jaisalmer district of the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is a remote location in the Thar Desert region and served as the test site for India's first underground nuclear weapon detonation. Surrounded by rocks, sand and five salt ranges, its Hindi name "Pokhran" (पोखरण) means "place of five mirages". It is located en route between Jaisalmer and Jodhpur or Bikaner at and has an average elevation of 233 metres (764 feet). Fort Pokhran, the 14th century citadel also known as "Balagarh", stands amidst the Thar Desert. This monument

neg: Pokhran Pokhran Pokhran is a city and a municipality located in the Jaisalmer district of the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is a remote location in the Thar Desert region and served as the test site for India's first underground nuclear weapon detonation. Surrounded by rocks, sand and five salt ranges, its Hindi name "Pokhran" (पोखरण) means "place of five mirages". It is located en route between Jaisalmer and Jodhpur or Bikaner at and has an average elevation of 233 metres (764 feet). Fort Pokhran, the 14th century citadel also known as "Balagarh", stands amidst the Thar Desert. This monument is

neg: India–Pakistan relations began development of space and nuclear rockets, which marked Pakistan's efforts to engage in the space race with India. Pakistan's own program developed space and nuclear missiles and began unmanned flight tests of its space vehicles in the mid-1990s, which continues in the present. After the defeat in the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971, Pakistan launched its own nuclear bomb program in 1972, and accelerated its efforts in 1974, after India exploded its first nuclear bomb in Pokhran test range, codename "Smiling Buddha". This large-scale nuclear bomb program was directly in response to India's nuclear program. In 1983, Pakistan achieved a

neg: Pokhran-II make preparations in the shortest time possible, and preparations were hastily made. It was time of tense atmosphere when Pakistan, at a Conference on Disarmament, offered a peace rhetoric agreement with India for "an equal and mutual restraint in conventional, missile and nuclear fields." Pakistan's equation was later reemphasised on 6 April and the momentum in India for nuclear tests began to build up which strengthened Vajpayee's position to order the tests. Unlike Pakistan's weapon–testing laboratories, there was very little that India could do to hide its activity at Pokhran. Contrary to high-altitude granite mountains in Pakistan, the bushes are

neg: Noor Muhammad Butt PINSTECH. His research repeatedly published in ""The Nucleus (Journal)"" published by the PINSTECH. In 1998, he was promoted as a "Chief Scientist (CS)" at PINSTECH. In May 1998, when India tested its fission devices in Pokhran, the Pakistani government gave the scientists a green signal to test the nuclear weapon. On 28 May 1998, Butt was among one of the scientists that witnessed at first hand the successful Chagai-I tests of six nuclear devices in Ras Koh Hills. As a Chief Scientist (CS) at PAEC, Butt took retirement from the PAEC in late 1998. In 2000, the PAEC had made

neg: Pokhran-II years of conducting only cold tests (See: Kirana-I). Pakistan's leading nuclear physicist, Pervez Hoodbhoy, held India responsible for Pakistan's nuclear test experiments in Chagai. The reactions from abroad started immediately after the tests were advertised. On 6 June, the United Nations Security Council adopted "Resolution 1172" condemning the test and that of Pakistan's. China issued a vociferous condemnation calling upon the international community to exert pressure on India to sign the NPT and eliminate its nuclear arsenal. With India joining the group of countries possessing nuclear weapons, a new strategic dimension had emerged in Asia, particularly South Asia. Overall, the

neg: Bleed India with a Thousand Cuts Pakistan has used the jihadist militias to conduct asymmetrical warfare with India. According to a general involved with the "bleed India" strategy of infiltrating jihadists into Kashmir: In May 1998, India tested its nuclear weapons at Pokhran-II followed by Pakistani nuclear tests. The Infiltration of Pakistani soldiers disguised as Kashmiri militants into positions on the Indian side of the LOC, resulted in a geographically limited Kargil War, during which the Pakistani Foreign Secretary Shamshad Ahmed issued a veiled nuclear threat that, 'We will not hesitate to use any weapon in our arsenal to defend our territorial integrity.' After the Kargil

neg: Arihant-class submarine Technology Vessel" project to design and construct a nuclear submarine took shape in the 1990s. Then Defence Minister George Fernandes confirmed the project in 1998. The initial intent of the project was to design nuclear-powered fast attack submarines, though following nuclear tests conducted by India in 1998 at Pokhran Test Range and the Indian pledge of no first use, the project was re-aligned towards the design of a ballistic missile submarine in order to complete India's nuclear triad. The "Arihant"-class submarines are nuclear powered ballistic missile submarines built under the "Advanced Technology Vessel" (ATV) project. They will be the first

neg: Science and technology in Pakistan People's Republic of China. With the launch, Pakistan became the first Muslim majority country to have developed an artificial robotic satellite, and was the second South Asian state to have launched its satellite, second to India. One of the widely reported achievements was in 1998, when the country joined the nuclear club. In response to India's nuclear tests on 11 May and 13 May 1998, under codename "Operation Shakti", in the long-constructed Pokhran Test Range (PTR). Under Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) conducted five simultaneous tests at the Chagai Hills under codename "Chagai-I" on 28

neg: No first use second nuclear tests, Pokhran-II, in 1998. In August 1999, the Indian government released a draft of the doctrine which asserts that nuclear weapons are solely for deterrence and that India will pursue a policy of "retaliation only". The document also maintains that India "will not be the first to initiate a nuclear first strike, but will respond with punitive retaliation should deterrence fail" and that decisions to authorise the use of nuclear weapons would be made by the Prime Minister or his 'designated successor(s)'. According to the National Research Development Corporation, despite the escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan

neg: Raja Ramanna to India, where he joined the senior technical staff of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), where he worked under Homi J. Bhabha in classified nuclear weapons projects. While Bhaba dedicated to develop this programme, Ramanna inducted by to choose the preferable nuclear test site to carry out the weapon-testing experiments. The exact dates are unknown, but Ramanna chose and began the underground construction of nuclear test site at an Indian Army base, the Pokhran Test Range (PTR). After the disastrous death of Homi Bhaba, Ramanna was immediately elevated to become the directing officer of this programme. Ramanna, serving as the

neg: Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran ( Atom: The Story of Pokhran; ) is a 2018 Indian historical action drama film directed by Abhishek Sharma and jointly written by Saiwyn Quadras, Sanyuktha Chawla Sheikh and Abhishek Sharma. It was produced by the banners Zee Studios and JA Entertainment. The film is based on the nuclear bomb test explosions conducted by the Indian Army at Pokhran in 1998. It stars John Abraham, Diana Penty and Boman Irani in lead roles. "Parmanu" was earlier slated to release on 8 December 2017, but was postponed to avoid clashing with

neg: Rajagopala Chidambaram Persons", for making recommendations to the Board of Governors, regarding long-term priorities and funding. Rajagopala Chidambaram Rajagopala Chidambaram (born 12 November 1936) is an Indian Physicist who is known for his integral role in India's nuclear weapons program; he coordinated test preparation for the Pokhran-I (1975) and Pokhran-II (1998). Previously served as the principal scientific adviser to the federal Government of India, Chidambaram previously served as the director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)— and later as chairman, Atomic Energy Commission of the Government of India and he contributed in providing national defence and energy security to India. Chidambaram

neg: Rajagopala Chidambaram Rajagopala Chidambaram Rajagopala Chidambaram (born 12 November 1936) is an Indian Physicist who is known for his integral role in India's nuclear weapons program; he coordinated test preparation for the Pokhran-I (1975) and Pokhran-II (1998). Previously served as the principal scientific adviser to the federal Government of India, Chidambaram previously served as the director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)— and later as chairman, Atomic Energy Commission of the Government of India and he contributed in providing national defence and energy security to India. Chidambaram was chairman of the board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

neg: S. K. Sikka by the Government of India, in 1999. Satinder Kumar Sikka was born in Jhang Maghina ( now in Pakistan )in undivided India on 22 November 1942, three months after the Quit India Movement was launched. He graduated (BSc) from the Punjab University in 1960 after which he started his career by joining the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Training School. While at BARC, he did research under Rajagopala Chidambaram, the renowned nuclear physicist who would later become his associate in the Pokhran tests, and secured a doctoral degree (PhD) from Mumbai University in 1970. His researches during this period were centered

neg: A. P. J. Abdul Kalam the "Missile Man of India" for his work on the development of ballistic missile and launch vehicle technology. He also played a pivotal organisational, technical, and political role in India's "Pokhran-II" nuclear tests in 1998, the first since the original nuclear test by India in 1974. Kalam was elected as the 11th President of India in 2002 with the support of both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the then-opposition Indian National Congress. Widely referred to as the "People's President", he returned to his civilian life of education, writing and public service after a single term. He was a recipient

neg: United Nations Security Council Resolution 1172 (CTBT) and the dismantling of nuclear weapons was emphasised. The Security Council condemned the Indian Pokhran-II test on 11 and 13 May and the Pakistani Chagai-I test on 28 and 30 May. It demanded that both countries stop testing immediately and asked all countries to no longer carry out nuclear weapons tests. India and Pakistan were also asked to show restraint, refrain from provocative moves and to resume dialogue. Both countries were also called upon to cease their nuclear weapons programmes, cease developing ballistic missiles and fissile material. All countries were urged to prohibit the export of equipment, materials or

neg: Junoon (band) TV invited Junoon to perform at the star-studded Zee Cine Awards in Mumbai, where the group received accolades from the crème de la crème of India's entertainment industry. It was also in 1998 that Junoon went on their first tour of India. The band's first appearance of the tour was held in New Delhi, India. After travelling throughout the country, Junoon saw crowds of as many as of 100,000 fans at shows in Lucknow, Kanpur, Bangalore and Delhi. On this very first tour of India, Junoon was in Chandigarh when India tested its nuclear weapons at Pokhran (14 May 1998).

neg: History of the Republic of India 1998, this government conducted a series of five underground nuclear weapons tests, known collectively as Pokhran-II — which caused Pakistan to conduct its own tests that same year. India's nuclear tests prompted President of the United States Bill Clinton and Japan to impose economic sanctions on India pursuant to the 1994 Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Act and led to widespread international condemnation. In the early months of 1999, Prime Minister Vajpayee made a historic bus trip to Pakistan and met with Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, signing the bilateral Lahore peace declaration. In April 1999, the coalition government led by the

neg: Pakistan–United States relations investment away from the country. [[File:Sharif meets Cohen in 1998.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Nawaz Sharif meeting with [[William Cohen]], [[U.S. Secretary of Defense|Secretary of Defense]], 1998.]] In 1998, Prime minister Nawaz Sharif ordered to conduct first nuclear tests after Benazir Bhutto called for the tests (see "[[Chagai-I]]" and "[[Chagai-II]]"), in response to Indian nuclear tests (see "[[Pokhran-II]]"). Nawaz Sharif's ordering the nuclear tests was met with great hostility and ire in the United States after President Clinton placing the economic embargo on Pakistan. The relations were also refrained and strained after Nawaz Sharif became involved with [[Kargil war]] with [[India]], while India's relations with

neg: Pokhran-II devices were detonated, and the Indian government led by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee shortly convened a press conference to declare India a full-fledged nuclear state. The tests resulted in a variety of sanctions against India by a number of major states, including Japan and the United States. Many names have been assigned to these tests; originally these were collectively called "Operation Shakti–98", and the five nuclear bombs were designated "Shakti-I" through to "Shakti-V". More recently, the operation as a whole has come to be known as "Pokhran II", and the 1974 explosion as "Pokhran-I". Efforts towards building the nuclear

neg: Agni-II proliferation by proxy into the hands of Pakistan and ability to deliver it over long ranges, obtained by trading in black-market North Korean No-Dong missiles, in return for Pakistani nuclear design and enrichment equipment by the nuclear and missile black-market run by Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan and the Pakistani Military. These developments forced India to go fully nuclear, resulting in the Pokhran-II nuclear test series and its weaponisation by developing the Agni family of ballistic missiles that could deliver a variety of payloads over long ranges. Quick deployment of the Agni-II was possible, by building on the earlier Agni-TD

neg: Chaudhry Abdul Majeed late 1960s. Majeed received training at the "Tihange" and "Doel" nuclear facilities. As a senior scientist he had access to classified documentations on sensitive plutonium technology which is critical to develop a nuclear weapon. Majeed also worked at the International Center for Theoretical Physics, invited by Abdus Salam, during the 1970s and early 1980s. At ICTP, Majeed taught advanced courses in chemistry and mathematics. At ICTP, he published numerous research papers in the field of Spectroscopy, neutron and particle detectors. Majeed returned to Pakistan in 1974 after India had conducted a surprise nuclear test, codenamed "Pokhran-I". At the Pakistan Institute

neg: HAL Dhruv Signal CTS800 engines and a retractable tricycle undercarriage. Development problems arose due to changing military demands and a funding shortfall in the wake of the 1991 Indian economic crisis. Naval testing on board and other ships started in March 1998, and around the same time a weight-reduction programme was initiated. However, further delays in development were caused when sanctions were implemented against India following a number of Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998 and India's continued refusal to sign the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. As a result, the intended engine for the helicopter, the LHTEC T800, was embargoed. The Turbomeca TM 333-2B2

neg: Pokhran after Pokhran-I, the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) conducted five further nuclear tests, dubbed "Pokhran-II", at the Pokhran range. Four AEC devices and, under the codename "Shakti", a thermonuclear device were tested. India has since declared a moratorium on testing. The team was headed by Rajagopala Chidambaram and consisted of Great Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Raja Ramanna, P. K. Iyengar, Rajagopala Chidambaram, Nagapattinam Sambasiva Venkatesan and Waman Dattatreya Patwardhan. The project employed no more than 75 scientists and engineers from 1967-1974. Keeping it small served to aid in the preservation of

neg: Abdul Qadeer Khan 1998, India conducted the series of nuclear tests at the site located in Pokhran, Rajasthan. Political momentum in Pakistan began to build up on conservative Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif by the influential political circle to authorize the nuclear testing program. Together with PAEC, Khan repeatedly lobbied in seeking the permission in favor of the tests. At the NSC meetings with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Khan even maintained that the tests could be performed at the controlled test site in Kahuta. But this was rebuffed by the military and Prime Minister Sharif ordered Ishfaq Ahmad of PAEC to perform the tests

neg: Krishnamurthy Santhanam Krishnamurthy Santhanam Krishnamurthy Santhanam is an Indian nuclear scientist and the field director of Defence Research and Development Organization during the tests of Pokhran-II. He was in the news in 2009 when he disclosed that the 1998 tests at Pokhran was not a total success, despite claims by several scientists including Anil Kakodkar and A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. Santhanam's statement was subsequently endorsed by P. K. Iyengar, the former chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission of India. Santhanam is the editor of three books, "United Nations: Multilateralism and International Security", "India and Central Asia: Advancing the Common Interest" and

neg: Pokhran-II and strongly condemned" the Indian nuclear tests and called for the international community to "adopt a unified stand and strongly demand that India immediate stop development of nuclear weapons". China further rejected India's stated rationale of needing nuclear capabilities to counter a Chinese threat as "totally unreasonable". In a meeting with Masayoshi Takemura of Democratic Party of Japan, Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China Qian Qichen was quoted as saying that India's nuclear tests were a "serious matter," particularly because they were conducted in light of the fact that more than 140 countries have signed the Comprehensive Test

neg: India–Japan relations politics. Japan, as a result of World War II reconstruction, was a U.S. ally, whereas India pursued a non-aligned foreign policy, often leaning towards the Soviet Union. Since the 1980s, however, efforts were made to strengthen bilateral ties. India’s ‘Look East’ policy posited Japan as a key partner. Since 1986, Japan has become India's largest aid donor, and remains so. Relations between the two nations reached a brief low in 1998 as a result of Pokhran-II, an Indian nuclear weapons test that year. Japan imposed sanctions on India following the test, which included the suspension of all political exchanges and

neg: Five-Year Plans of India allied activities, and industrial sector. The government of India declared "Devaluation of Rupee" to increase the exports of the country. The main reasons for plan holidays were the war, lack of resources, and increase in inflation. At this time Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister. The Indira Gandhi government nationalised 14 major Indian banks and the Green Revolution in India advanced agriculture. In addition, the situation in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) was becoming dire as the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 and Bangladesh Liberation War took funds earmarked for industrial development. India also performed the Smiling Buddha underground nuclear test (Pokhran-1)

neg: Riazuddin (physicist) closely collaborated with Theoretical Physics Group. Riazuddin called his mathematician friend Asghar Qadir, who specialised in special relativity under Riazuddin and Salam, to join the Mathematical Physics Group. Later in his career, Qadir published a college text book on theory of special relativity. Shortly after the India surprise nuclear test — Pokhran-I, Munir Ahmad Khan called for a meeting to initiate the work on atomic bomb. Riazuddin and Salam represented the Theoretical Physics Group (TPG), and it was decided to develop the implosion method for the first device. During the meeting, the word "bomb" was never used; instead academic scientists

neg: Pakistan–Russia relations charges. In 1997, Prime minister Nawaz Sharif attempted to warm relations with Russia after sending farewell messages to Russian Federation. In 1998, although Russia congratulated India for conducting second nuclear tests, (see "Pokhran-II"), Russia did not immediately criticize Pakistan for performing its nuclear tests (see "Chagai-I" and "Chagai-II") by the weekend of May 1998. On April 1999 Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif paid an important state visit to Kremlin, this was the first trip to Moscow paid by a Pakistani Prime minister in 25 years, however no breakthrough was made. In 1999, Russia welcomed Pakistan and India for making a breakthrough

neg: Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons the NPT. On 2 October 2006, the North Korean foreign minister announced that his country was planning to conduct a nuclear test "in the future", although it did not state when. On Monday, 9 October 2006 at 01:35:28 (UTC) the United States Geological Survey detected a magnitude 4.3 seismic event north of Kimchaek, North Korea indicating a nuclear test. The North Korean government announced shortly afterward that they had completed a successful underground test of a nuclear fission device. In 2007, reports from Washington suggested that the 2002 CIA reports stating that North Korea was developing an enriched uranium weapons

neg: India and weapons of mass destruction of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. India performed further nuclear tests in 1998 (code-named "Operation Shakti"). In 1998, as a response to the continuing tests, the United States and Japan imposed sanctions on India, which have since been lifted. R Chidambaram who headed India's Pokhran-II nuclear tests said in an interview to the Press Trust of India that India is capable of producing a neutron bomb. India has a declared nuclear no-first-use policy and is in the process of developing a nuclear doctrine based on "credible minimum deterrence." In August 1999, the Indian government released a draft of the doctrine which

neg: India and weapons of mass destruction three multilateral export control regimes — the Missile Technology Control Regime, Wassenaar Arrangement and Australia Group. It has signed and ratified the Biological Weapons Convention and the Chemical Weapons Convention. India is also a subscribing state to the Hague Code of Conduct. India has signed neither the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty nor the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, considering both to be flawed and discriminatory. India previously possessed chemical weapons, but voluntarily destroyed its entire stockpile in 2009 — the only country to meet OPCW deadline. India maintains a "no first use" nuclear policy and has developed a nuclear triad capability as a

neg: India–United States Civil Nuclear Agreement India achieved its strategic objectives from the Pokhran nuclear tests in 1998, it continued to find its civil nuclear program isolated internationally. The proposed civil nuclear agreement implicitly recognizes India's "de facto" status even without signing the NPT. The Bush administration justifies a nuclear pact with India arguing that it is important in helping to advance the non-proliferation framework by formally recognizing India's strong non-proliferation record even though it has not signed the NPT. The former Under Secretary of State of Political Affairs, Nicholas Burns, one of the architects of the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal said "India's trust, its credibility, the

neg: Smiling Buddha type and code-named "Flower". The complete nuclear bomb was engineered and finally assembled by Indian engineers at Trombay before transportation to the test site. The fully assembled device had a hexagonal cross section, 1.25 metres in diameter, and weighed 1400 kg. The device was mounted on a hexagonal metal tripod, and was transported to the shaft on rails which the army kept covered with sand. The device was detonated when Dastidar pushed the firing button at 8.05 a.m.; it was in a shaft 107 m under the army Pokhran test range in the Thar Desert (or Great Indian Desert), Rajasthan.

neg: Pokhran-II Ban Treaty. "It is even more unacceptable that India claims to have conducted the tests to counter what it called a ""China threat"". On 24 November 1998, the Chinese Embassy, New Delhi issued a formal statement: The most vehement and strong reaction to India's nuclear explosion was from a neighbouring country, Pakistan. Great ire was raised in Pakistan, which issued a severe statement blaming India for instigating a nuclear arms race in the region. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif vowed that his country would give a suitable reply to India. The day after the first tests, Foreign Minister Gohar Ayub Khan

neg: Prime Minister of India a referendum in 1975; and India's first nuclear test in Pokhran occurred during Indira's first term. In 1975, President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed—on Indira's advice—imposed a state of emergency, therefore, bestowing the government with the power to rule by decree, the period is known for human right violations. After widespread protests, the emergency was lifted in 1977, and a general election was to be held. All of the political parties of the opposition—after the conclusion of the emergency—fought together against the Congress, under the umbrella of the Janata Party, in the general election of 1977, and were successful in defeating the

neg: Rajagopala Chidambaram joined the nuclear weapon designing effort along with his fellow scientists in constructing and building the metallurgical and physical aspects of the nuclear weapons. He and his colleagues worked out the equation of state of plutonium, which is still classified by all nuclear weapon states. He chose the implosion method and initiated research at BARC in very close interaction with the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL) of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to achieve this. Chidambaram also assisted the Indian Army to construct a nuclear test site at long-constructed Indian Army base, Pokhran Test Range in Rajasthan, Chidambaram

neg: India–United States Civil Nuclear Agreement this reason, but mainly due to continued unchecked covert nuclear and missile proliferation activities between Pakistan, China and North Korea, India conducted five more nuclear tests in May 1998 at Pokhran. India was subject to international sanctions after its May 1998 nuclear tests. However, due to the size of the Indian economy and its relatively large domestic sector, these sanctions had little impact on India, with Indian GDP growth increasing from 4.8% in 1997–1998 (prior to sanctions) to 6.6% (during sanctions) in 1998–1999. Consequently, at the end of 2001, the Bush Administration decided to drop all sanctions on India. Although

neg: Nuclear arms race time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes," effectively challenging the world to re-engage in a race for nuclear dominance. The next day, Trump reiterated his position to "Morning Joe" host Mika Brzezinski of MSNBC, stating: "Let it be an arms race. We will outmatch them at every pass and outlast them all." In South Asia, India and Pakistan have also engaged in a technological nuclear arms race since the 1970s. The nuclear competition started in 1974 with India detonating the device, codename Smiling Buddha, at the Pokhran region of the Rajasthan state. The Indian government termed this

neg: Krishnamurthy Santhanam "Asian Security and China 2000-2010" and the author of a number of articles. The Government of India awarded him the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award, in 1999. Krishnamurthy Santhanam Krishnamurthy Santhanam is an Indian nuclear scientist and the field director of Defence Research and Development Organization during the tests of Pokhran-II. He was in the news in 2009 when he disclosed that the 1998 tests at Pokhran was not a total success, despite claims by several scientists including Anil Kakodkar and A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. Santhanam's statement was subsequently endorsed by P. K. Iyengar, the former chairman

neg: Pokhran-II effect of international sanctions on Indian economy was minimal; the technological progress was marginal. Most nations did not call for embargoes against India as the exports and imports together constituted only 4.0% of its GDP, with United States trade accounting for only 10.0% of this total. Far more significant were the restrictions on lending imposed by the United States and its representatives on international finance bodies. Most of the sanctions were lifted within five years. The Indian government has officially declared the 11 May as National Technology Day in India to commemorate the first of the five nuclear tests that

neg: War and Peace (2002 film) the following manner: "The collapse of socialism saw a revival of bigotry. America had now become our role model." The film then examines the growing nuclear nationalism in India. It covers the Hindu-nationalist rhetoric of the Bharatiya Janata Party that surrounded Indian nuclear weapons tests in 1998. The film covers the "Global Peace March" that occurred following the nuclear tests at Pokhran, and the opposition it faced from activists of the Sangh Parivar. It also covers the rise of religious extremism in both India and Pakistan. Patwardhan travels to Pakistan, where he interviews several people, including school-girls participating in a

neg: Sartaj Aziz India's tests naming "Pokhran-II" — s codename of series of nuclear tests in May 1998— Sartaj Aziz prepared his economic proposals, requests and recommendation before meeting with the Prime minister Nawaz Sharif. The meeting was chaired by the Prime minister with state-holders of all institutions (both scientific, military, civilians, and bureaucratic) attended the meeting calling for the suitable reply to India. At this meeting, Sartaj Aziz was the only senior minister in Pakistan's government who counseled against Pakistan carrying out its own nuclear tests – codename "Chagai-I" and "Chagai-II", on grounds of the possible devastating impact of any subsequent international

neg: Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran photography of the film began on 31 May 2017 and the shoot was completed in August. About the film, Abraham said: ""Parmanu" is an ode to the Army and scientists, who although ordinary people, truly accomplished extraordinary feats in the face of adversity to ensure that India finds its due place on the world nuclear map." The first look of the film was revealed by Abraham through his Twitter handle on 22 June 2017. It showed his face merged with the map of Pokhran. The second poster of the film was released on 14 August 2017 which showed Abraham running

neg: P. V. Narasimha Rao was rationalised. Rao energised the national nuclear security and ballistic missiles program, which ultimately resulted in the 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests. It is speculated that the tests were actually planned in 1995, during Rao's term in office, and that they were dropped under American pressure when the US intelligence got the whiff of it. Another view was that he purposefully leaked the information to gain time to develop and test thermonuclear device which was not yet ready. He increased military spending, and set the Indian Army on course to fight the emerging threat of terrorism and insurgencies, as well as

neg: K. Subrahmanyam Subrahmanyam being dubbed a policy 'hawk' and 'hardliner'. Subrahmanyam is mostly identified as the premier ideological champion of India's nuclear programme and its exercising of the nuclear weapons option—which began with India's first 'peaceful' Smiling Buddha nuclear test in 1974 and culminated with the 1998 'Shakti' series of weapons tests, both in Pokhran, Rajasthan. His polemics, articulated over five decades, on India's development as a nuclear nation, with civilian and weapons capabilities, have proven both influential and contentious with supporters and detractors alike—of nuclear development and nuclear disarmament. His strong views and trenchant criticism of the inherent inequalities of the

neg: P. V. Narasimha Rao Rao energised the national nuclear security and ballistic missiles program. His efforts resulted in the 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests. Rao was the “true father” of India’s nuclear programme. Vajpayee said that, in May 1996, a few days after he had succeeded Rao as prime minister, “Rao told me that the bomb was ready. I only exploded it.” Rao told him, “Kalam, be ready with the Department of Atomic Energy and your team for the N-test and I am going to Tirupati. You wait for my authorisation to go ahead with the test. DRDO-DAE teams must be ready for action.” “Saamagri

neg: Pokhran-II UTC, two sub-kiloton devices ("Shakti IV" and V) were detonated. Due to their very low yield, these explosions were not detected by any seismic station. On 13 May 1998, India declared the series of tests to be over after this. Following the Pokhran-II tests, India became the sixth country to join the nuclear club. Shortly after the tests, a press meet was convened at the Prime Minister's residence in New Delhi. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee appeared before the press corps and made the following short statement: News of the tests were greeted with jubilation and large-scale approval by society

neg: Chagai-I Pakistan became the seventh nation to publicly test nuclear weapons. Pakistan's second nuclear test, Chagai-II, followed on 30 May 1998. Several historical and political events and personalities in the 1960s and early 1970s led Pakistan to gradually transition to a program of nuclear weapons development, that began in 1972. Plans for nuclear weapons testing started in 1974. Chagai-I was the result of over two decades of planning and preparation, Pakistan becoming the seventh of eight nations that have publicly tested nuclear weapons. The timing of Chagai-I was a direct response to India's second nuclear tests, Pokhran-II, also called "Operation Shakti",

neg: Raja Ramanna CDO of BARC, began to take initiate to develop the first nuclear weapon. At BARC, the initial designing of nuclear weapon was completed under his guidance and the necessary nuclear weapons' explosive material for this weapon was completed under Ramanna by 1970. As the first nuclear device was completed and developed under his guidance, Ramanna went to Indian Prime Minister's Office, where he had notified Indian premier Indira Gandhi about the successful development of the nuclear device. In 1974, Ramanna and other officials of the BARC verbally notified Indira Gandhi that India was ready to conduct the test of its

neg: Prime Minister of India to do so. After the end of Rao's tenure in May 1996, the nation saw four prime ministers in a span of three years, "", two tenures of Atal Bihari Vajpayee; one tenure of H. D. Deve Gowda from 1 June 1996 to 21 April 1997; and one tenure of I. K. Gujral from 21 April 1997 to 19 March 1998. The government of Prime Minister Vajpayee—elected in 1998—took some concrete steps. In May 1998—after a month in power—the government announced the conduct of five underground nuclear explosions in Pokhran. In response to these tests, many western countries, including the

neg: Bharatiya Janata Party test, the Vajpayee government broke with India's historical strategy of avoiding it and authorised Pokhran-II, a series of five nuclear tests in 1998. The tests came soon after Pakistan tested a medium-range ballistic missile. They were seen as an attempt to display India's military prowess to the world, and a reflection of anti-Pakistan sentiment within the BJP. The Vajpayee government ordered the Indian armed forces to expel the Pakistani soldiers occupying Kashmir territory, later known as the Kargil War. Although the government was later criticised for the intelligence failures that did not detect Pakistani presence, it was successful in ousting

neg: Agni-II program that provided proven critical technologies and designs required for long-range ballistic missiles. Thus when the decision was made to build the Agni weapon system, some quick optimisation and ruggedisation was done to the basic '1980 vintage' design, including a solid fuelled second stage. The re-entry vehicle (RV) and avionics were brought up to state-of-the-art levels. The Pokhran-II nuclear test proved a family of more powerful and lighter nuclear weapons; the 200 kt thermonuclear weapon is far lighter compared to 1,000 kg earlier budgeted for the 200 kt nuclear boosted fission weapon. Thus a high-yield weapon configuration now assumes a

neg: 2009 North Korean nuclear test believed that the test was conducted as a result of a succession crisis in the country. After Kim Jong-Il suffered a stroke in the summer of 2008, arrangements were made for his third son, Kim Jong-un, to take power upon his death. It is believed the North Koreans conducted the nuclear test to show that, even in a time of possible weakness, it did not intend to give up its nuclear weapons program. North Korea (officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK) had threatened to conduct a second nuclear test in protest after the United Nations Security Council

neg: Foreign relations of India attention towards the Pakistan-backed terrorism in Kashmir. The Kargil War resulted in a major diplomatic victory for India. The United States and European Union recognised the fact that Pakistani military had illegally infiltrated into Indian territory and pressured Pakistan to withdraw from Kargil. Several anti-India militant groups based in Pakistan were labelled as terrorist groups by the United States and European Union. In 1998, India tested nuclear weapons for the second time (see Pokhran-II) which resulted in several US, Japanese and European sanctions on India. India's then-defence minister, George Fernandes, said that India's nuclear programme was necessary as it provided

neg: Benazir Bhutto Bhutto and himself from office. In 1998, India tested its first nuclear weapon; Bhutto responded with an editorial for the "Los Angeles Times" in which she argued that the international community should go further than imposing economic sanctions on India, but should launch a preemptive bomb strike on India's nuclear facilities. She called on Sharif to retaliate with military tests of its own. After Sharif's government did so, Bhutto called for Pakistan to sign the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and arrive at a bilateral agreement on nuclear proliferation with India. It was from Dubai that Bhutto observed her country wage the

neg: Nuclear proliferation detonate a nuclear bomb. The United Kingdom first tested a nuclear weapon in October 1952. France first tested a nuclear weapon in 1960. The People's Republic of China detonated a nuclear weapon in 1964. India conducted its first nuclear test in 1974, which prompted Pakistan to develop its own nuclear program and, when India conducted a second series of nuclear tests in 1998, Pakistan followed with a series of tests of its own. In 2006, North Korea conducted its first nuclear test. Early efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation involved intense government secrecy, the wartime acquisition of known uranium stores (the

neg: Pokhran-II scientific aspects of the program. The Pakistani atomic bomb program was well funded and organised by then; India realised that Pakistan was likely to succeed in its project in matter of two years.<ref name="http://nuclearweaponarchive.org"></ref> In 1980, the general elections marked the return of Indira Gandhi and the nuclear program began to gain momentum under Ramanna in 1981. Requests for additional nuclear tests were continued to be denied by the government when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi saw Pakistan began exercising the "brinkmanship", though the nuclear program continued to advance. Initiation towards hydrogen bomb began as well as the launch of the

neg: France and weapons of mass destruction developed in the late 1950s and 1960s to give France the ability to distance itself from NATO while having a means of nuclear deterrence under sovereign control. France did not sign the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which gave it the option to conduct further nuclear tests until it signed and ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty in 1996 and 1998 respectively. France denies currently having chemical weapons, ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) in 1995, and acceded to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in 1984. France had also ratified the Geneva Protocol in 1926. France was one of the nuclear

neg: Sartaj Aziz Pakistan. After the PML (N)'s landslide victory in the 1997 parliamentary election, Aziz was re-appointed Treasure Minister, to lead the Ministry of Treasury, by Prime minister Nawaz Sharif where he continued his privatisation policies. Aziz adopted the proposed economic theory of matching economic requirements with national strategy. Aziz was tasked with intensifying country's economic system more dependent on investment, privatisation and the economical integrals penetrating through the matters of national security. Aziz was extremely upset and frustrated after learning the Indian nuclear testing that took place in Pokhran Test Range of Indian Army in May 1998, through the media. The