On 12 May 1998, India carried out the second phase of the historic Pokhran-II nuclear tests at the Pokhran Test Range in Rajasthan. These tests were conducted just two days after the first series of explosions on 11 May 1998 under the codename Operation Shakti.
The 12 May tests involved two sub-kiloton nuclear devices and demonstrated India’s capability to design and test different types of nuclear weapons technology. The operation was conducted by a team of scientists and defense experts led by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, who was then serving as the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister, along with R. Chidambaram, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission.
The tests were carried out in extreme secrecy at the Pokhran desert site to avoid detection by foreign surveillance satellites. Scientists often worked during nighttime, and equipment was carefully camouflaged. The successful completion of the tests officially established India as a nuclear weapons state.
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee announced that India had successfully completed the planned series of nuclear tests and declared the country a responsible nuclear power. The event marked a major turning point in India’s defense and strategic policy.
Following the tests, several countries imposed economic sanctions on India, but the development was widely viewed within the country as a symbol of scientific achievement, national security, and technological self-reliance. The Pokhran-II tests also accelerated India’s missile and defense research programs and significantly influenced South Asian geopolitics.
Today, Pokhran-II is remembered as one of the most important milestones in India’s modern scientific and strategic history.
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