Smiling Buddha

E591093

Smiling Buddha was India’s first successful nuclear test, conducted in 1974 at Pokhran and marking the country’s entry into the group of nuclear-capable states.

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Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf nuclear test
alsoKnownAs Pokhran-I NERFINISHED
authorizedBy Indira Gandhi NERFINISHED
codename Smiling Buddha NERFINISHED
conductedBy Bhabha Atomic Research Centre NERFINISHED
Government of India NERFINISHED
Indian Army NERFINISHED
continent Asia
country India
countryStatusAfterTest de facto nuclear weapons state
coverStory described as a peaceful nuclear explosion by Indian officials
date 1974-05-18
deviceCoreMaterial plutonium
deviceType plutonium implosion device
followedBy Pokhran-II NERFINISHED
impactOnPolicy accelerated India’s strategic nuclear program
impactOnSecurityDoctrine laid groundwork for India’s later declared nuclear weapons status
IndiraGandhiRole Prime Minister of India
internationalReaction contributed to formation and strengthening of Nuclear Suppliers Group
led to criticism from some Western countries
locationType Thar Desert NERFINISHED
militaryInvolvement Indian Army Corps of Engineers NERFINISHED
nonProliferationContext conducted while India was not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
peacefulNuclearExplosionClaim yes
politicalLeaderAtTime Indira Gandhi NERFINISHED
precededBy Indian civilian nuclear energy program
programContext Indian nuclear weapons program NERFINISHED
region Rajasthan NERFINISHED
relatedOrganization Bhabha Atomic Research Centre NERFINISHED
Department of Atomic Energy (India) NERFINISHED
relatedPerson Homi N. Sethna NERFINISHED
Indira Gandhi NERFINISHED
Raja Ramanna NERFINISHED
secrecyLevel highly secret operation
significance first successful nuclear test by India
marked India’s entry into the group of nuclear-capable states
supervisedBy Homi N. Sethna NERFINISHED
Raja Ramanna NERFINISHED
technologyOrigin indigenously developed in India
testEnvironment underground
testMethod shaft detonation
testPurpose demonstration of nuclear capability
testShaftDepth approximately 107 meters
testSite Pokhran Test Range NERFINISHED
testSiteLocation Pokhran, Rajasthan, India NERFINISHED
year 1974
yield approximately 8 kilotons of TNT

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Pokhran-II nuclear tests precededBy Smiling Buddha