Operation Shakti: India’s rise as a global nuclear superpower

On May 11th 1998, Pokhran II commenced with five underground nuclear detonation tests. Following Operation Shakti, India became the sixth nuclear superpower in the world; a step which was widely condemned by many nations for threatening world peace. Since 1999, May 11th is observed as National Technology Day to commemorate India’s scientific advancement. (Arun Jetlie/HT Photo)

Seen above at the test site, then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee with then scientific advisor to defence minister Dr.A.P.J Abdul Kalam along with DRDO, AMD and BARC expedited the Pokhran II nuclear tests. (Girish Srivastava/HT Photo)

It was India’s second nuclear test, the first experiment being conducted in 1974 under former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. (Arun Jetlie/HT Photo)

On this day India also tested its first indigenous aircraft – Hansa, and fired the made in India Trishul short-range missile. (Prakash Singh/HT Photo)

In a span of two days,India executed a series of five nuclear detonations of which the first was a fusion bomb followed by four fission bombs. (Prakash Singh/HT Photo)

Ground zero at the nuclear test site near Pokhran, code-named as Operation Shakti. (HT Photo)

By involving only a select group of scientists and politicians,India managed to secretly carry out its nuclear operations without being detected by American spy satellites or its neighbouring countries in South Asia. (HT Photo)

People of the Khetolai village in Pokhran,Rajasthan protest demanding a hospital in 1998. There have been reports of cancer, tumour and rashes due to the radioactive contamination near the blast sites. (Arun Jetlie./HT Photo)