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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Predicate Object
instanceOf nuclear test
alsoKnownAs Pokhran-I
authorizedBy Indira Gandhi
codename Smiling Buddha
conductedBy Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
Government of India
Indian Army
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
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
militaryInvolvement Indian Army Corps of Engineers
nonProliferationContext conducted while India was not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
peacefulNuclearExplosionClaim yes
politicalLeaderAtTime Indira Gandhi
precededBy Indian civilian nuclear energy program
programContext Indian nuclear weapons program
region Rajasthan
relatedOrganization Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
Department of Atomic Energy (India)
relatedPerson Homi N. Sethna
Indira Gandhi
Raja Ramanna
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
Raja Ramanna
technologyOrigin indigenously developed in India
testEnvironment underground
testMethod shaft detonation
testPurpose demonstration of nuclear capability
testShaftDepth approximately 107 meters
testSite Pokhran Test Range
testSiteLocation Pokhran, Rajasthan, India
linked to: Pokhran Test Range
year 1974
yield approximately 8 kilotons of TNT

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Referenced by (6)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Pokhran-II nuclear tests precededBy Smiling Buddha
Pokhran Test Range notableEvent 1974 Indian nuclear test Smiling Buddha
linked to: Smiling Buddha
Operation Shakti precededBy Smiling Buddha
Smiling Buddha codename Smiling Buddha
Shakti series precededBy Smiling Buddha