Pokhran-II
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Pokharan-II refers to test explosions of five nuclear devices, three on 11 May and two on 13 May 1998, by India at Pokhran. It was conducted when the NDA government was in power with Atal Bihari Vajpayee as Prime Minister. These nuclear tests resulted in a variety of sanctions against India by a number of major states. On 18th May 1974 India’s first nuclear explosion, code named Smiling Buddha, was conducted. After about a quarter century, on Buddha Jayanti, 11 May 1998, the Shakti was demonstrated: Shakti is a Sanskrit word which literally means strength, and Shakti is also the name of the Hindu Goddess of strength. Shakti was the codename for Pokharan-II.
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[edit] Detonations
On 11th May 1998, three simultaneous detonations were conducted, which consisted of a 15 kiloton fission device (atom bomb), a 45 kiloton device and a 0.2 kiloton device. The detonations of 13 May 1998 were in sub-kiloton range of 0.5 kiloton and 0.3 kiloton.
Pokharan-II resulted in an international debate regarding the yield of the hydrogen bomb, and some circles were sceptical about India’s capability of having “tested” a hydrogen bomb, but further research showed that India possessed the technology to develop a hydrogen bomb as well. Their misgivings were actively dispelled by India and in October 1998, India clarified that the explosions had resulted in a perfect match between the calculated and the measured yields.
[edit] Sanctions
India's decision to detonate nuclear devices (Pokharan-II) resulted in severe and comprehensive economic and technology related sanctions by a number of states. Over a period of time, these sanctions had only marginal effects on India’s economy and technological progress. Most of the sanctions were lifted within five years of Pokharan-II.
[edit] India's stand
After Pokharan-II the Prime Minister of India declared India to be a Nuclear Weapon State. This official declaration ended years of ambiguity about India’s nuclear infrastructures and capabilities. The Prime Minister of India further put a self declared moratorium on further nuclear fission by India. At the same time, India declared the policy of no first use.
This was in conformity with India’s sovereign desire to maintain a level of independent status in the international comity of nations. Brajesh Mishra, former Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister and National Security Adviser had articulated this desire in these words: "I have always felt that you cannot in today's world be counted for something without going nuclear."
