Back in Time is ED’s newspaper-like column that reports the past as though it had happened just yesterday. It allows the reader to relive it several years later, on the date it occurred.
Pokhran, Rajasthan, May 18, 1974 –
In a development that has stunned the world, India yesterday successfully conducted its first underground nuclear test at a remote army base in the Thar Desert near Pokhran. The Ministry of External Affairs, in a brief but historic statement, confirmed the success of the test, code-named “Smiling Buddha.”
The device, detonated at 8:05 a.m., sent measured tremors through the earth, registering on seismic sensors as far as Delhi. Scientists at the site, who had worked under intense secrecy for years, erupted in applause as the results came in – controlled, contained, and precise.
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi addressed the nation last evening, describing the test as a necessary step toward India’s self-reliance. She emphasised that the nuclear explosion was “conducted for peaceful purposes and to harness atomic energy for development.”
Reinforcing India’s commitment to non-aggression, she stated, “The decision to develop this capability was neither hasty nor provocative.” The groundwork for this test was laid years earlier by Lal Bahadur Shastri and the late Dr Homi Bhabha, whose vision of an independent, scientifically advanced India was quietly carried forward under Mrs Gandhi’s leadership.
“India must stand on its own feet in science and security,” she added, underlining the nation’s resolve in an increasingly volatile world.
The test was carried out by a close-knit group of India’s top nuclear scientists, led by Dr Raja Ramanna. Under deep secrecy, the project unfolded over several months in the deserts of Rajasthan. Most of the military activity was disguised as routine army drills, even as a tunnel nearly 1,000 feet deep was readied for the device.
“It was the quietest explosion in the noisiest neighbourhood,” a senior scientist remarked with a mix of relief and pride. In a private briefing, the Prime Minister is said to have congratulated the entire team, many of whom worked without informing even their families. It was, as one senior official described, “a moment where science met sacrifice.”
Hours after the Indian test, reactions began to pour in from across the world. The United States expressed deep concern over nuclear proliferation, and both Canada and Britain issued formal notes of protest, citing their earlier cooperation on peaceful nuclear research.
In Pakistan, the response was swift and emotionally charged. President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, speaking late in the night, declared: “If India builds the bomb, we will eat grass, even go hungry, but we will get one of our own.”
China remained largely silent, but diplomatic whispers suggest the event did not go unnoticed in Beijing. Meanwhile, India maintained that its policies remained unchanged – committed to peace, but not at the cost of national security.
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Across the country, the test is being hailed as a defining moment. While some voices in Parliament urged caution, the overarching sentiment is one of pride and strategic clarity. Political leaders called it a natural outcome of Nehru’s vision of a scientifically empowered India, now brought to fruition by Indira Gandhi’s political resolve. “This is not about war – it’s about waking up history,” said a senior Cabinet member. The successful test, they added, was a message that India will neither threaten nor be threatened, but shall stand equal among the great powers of the world.
Postscriptum
Five decades later, the Pokhran test of 1974 is remembered not just as a scientific breakthrough but as a bold assertion of sovereignty. Despite facing sanctions and international isolation for years, India pursued a doctrine of restraint, culminating in the 1998 Pokhran-II tests and a declared No First Use policy. Today, as India contends with a belligerent China and an unstable Pakistan, its nuclear capability has acted as a stabilising force. It has prevented wars, deterred aggression, and secured India a seat at global strategic tables like the Quad and BRICS.
Nuclear India is not about the bomb – it is about deterrence, dignity, and the unwavering right to defend one’s people. The desert smiled in 1974. And half a century later, that smile still guards a billion dreams.
Sources: Hindustan Times, The Hindu, Times of India
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This post is tagged under: nuclear test india, pokhran 1974, india nuclear power, smiling buddha test, indira gandhi leadership, india defence history, indian science achievement, pokhran success, india strategic power, india vs pakistan china, historical moments india, atomic energy india, india self reliance, peaceful nuclear explosion, indian scientists, bharat nuclear test, cold war india, nuclear india 1974, india geopolitical power, india global influence
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