Thread by @DEVenDrapai

India celebrates 11 May as National Technology Day in honour its scientists like the ones who successfully prepared and tested India's N bomb in this very day in 1998.

#Pokhran2

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On 11 May 1998, India successfully conducted tested its Nuclear arsenal at #Pokhran in Rajasthan.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee announced to the world that India was now a Official Nuclear Power after the successful tests

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Three tests happened on 11 May 1998 followed by two more on 13 May. The Bombs were code named Shakti I, Shakti II, Shakti III, Shakti IV, and Shakti V respectively which are referred to as #Pokhran2

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The Operation is referred to as #Pokhran2 because the 1974 tests conducted at the same place were referred to as #Pokhran (the name of the place)

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Dr Homi Bhabha who was testing use of Nuclear power for weapons from 1944 was instrumental in convincing PM Nehru for setting up a Atomic Energy commission

The commission was setup in 1948 under the leadership of Dr Homi Bhabha.

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In 1962, right after the war and in the middle of the cold war when India needed help with developing the N-technology and it turned to the USSR which refused to help as the Politburo was strongly supportive of China then

India now had to develop N-capabilities on it own

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Pakistan had become vary of India's intentions to develop the N-Bomb which led to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1965 commenting

"If India builds the bomb, we will eat grass or leaves, even go hungry. But we will get one of our own"

N history tells us this happened literally ;)

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On 18th May 1974, under the leadership of PM Indira Gandhi, India conducted its first N-tests under the codename #SmilingBuddha.

India termed it as a "Peaceful Nuclear Explosion" or PNE something which was in vogue in those years for industrial usage or deep sea mining.

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In the early 1990s, PM PV Narasimha Rao had already begun processing of developing India's Nuclear weapons but could not take it to its logical conclusion under the pressure from the US.

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It took a "Atal" Vajpayee as the Prime Minister to finally ensure India become a N-power State.

Apart from the PM, PS, HM only the DRDO, AEC, BARC chiefs knew about #OperationShakti.

Even the Defence Min was informed about it only 2 days prior.

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The secrecy also shocked the rest of the World including the US which seemed to very pissed at the fact that the US spy satellites could not pick up preps for #Pokhran2 for which due credit goes to the team which worked undercover as military officials.

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The movement of the team working on it was so good that they used to track the US satellite movements and halt their work the moment when they came in the eye of the US satellite

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Following the successful tests at #Pokhran2, Prime Minister Vajpayee proclaimed on 14 May 1998

"India is now a nuclear weapons state."

"We have the capacity for a big bomb now. Ours will never be weapons of aggression."

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The US imposed sanctions on India and ensured India didn't have access to IMF and World Bank.

India's treasuries were getting emptied, but Govt came up with the idea to issue bonds to raise money and Indian managed to raise billions within a few days of the announcement.

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The Problems didn't end there, with the help of China, Pakistan on 28 May 1998

The irony remains that Bhutto was eventually hanged by Pakistan & Dr Salam (who was Pakistan's N scientist) was excommunicated for being Ahmedi who died as a broken man hated by his countrymen

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Pakistan has went on to become a hotbed of global terrorism and is considered as a rogue State or a failed State.

Whereas India has grown in to a respected and responsible N-power who signed the N-deal with US and enjoys a waiver from the NSG

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