Smiling Buddha

For the religious figure known as the Laughing Buddha, see Budai.

Pokhran-I Operation Smiling Buddha
Information
Country	India
Test site	Pokhran
Period	May 1974
Number of tests	1
Test type	Underground tests
Device type	Fission
Max. yield	8 kilotons of TNT (33 TJ)
Test chronology

The Smiling Buddha, formally designated as Pokhran-I, was the codename given to India's first nuclear test explosion that took place at long-constructed Indian Army base, Pokran Test Range at Pokhran on 18 May 1974 at 8:05 AM (IST). It was also the first confirmed nuclear test by a nation outside the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. The explosive yield of the bomb was reported to be 8 kt.

History

The history of Indian nuclear programme dated back to 1930s and 1940s when Indian physicist were the edge-leading source of developing the nuclear physics. However, After its independence, Jawarharalal Nehru, first Premier of India, gave authorization of developing the program in 1947 with Homi J. Bhabha as the head of the program. However, weapons were developed in 1967, shortly after the Chinese Test No.6. On 7 September 1972, Prime minister Indira Gandhi gave verbal authorization to the scientists at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) to manufacture the nuclear device they had designed and prepare it for a test. Throughout its development, the device was formally called the "Peaceful Nuclear Explosive", but it was usually referred to as the Smiling Buddha.

The Team of Scientists and Engineers

The head of the development team was Dr. Raja Ramanna. Other key personnel included Dr. P. K. Iyengar, Dr. Rajagopala Chidambaram, Dr. Nagapattinam Sambasiva Venkatesan and Dr. Waman Dattatreya Patwardhan under the supervision of Dr. Homi N. Sethna. The project employed no more than 75 scientists and engineers from 1967–1974. Keeping it small served to aid in the preservation of secrecy, according to the researcher Jeffrey Richelson.

Role of Indian Nuclear Research Institutes

The device used a high explosive implosion system developed at the DRDO Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL) in Chandigarh based on the American design from World War II.The detonation system of the implosion devices was developed at the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) of DRDO at Pune. The 6 kg of plutonium came from the CIRUS reactor at BARC. The neutron initiator was a polonium-beryllium type (again like those used in early U.S. bombs of the Fat Man type) code-named "Flower." The complete core was assembled in Trombay before transportation to the test site.

Pokhran-I
Type	Implosion type weapon
Place of origin	India
Production history
No. built	1
Specifications
Mass	1400 kg
Length	107 metres
Diameter	1.25 meter
Blast yield	8 kilotons of TNT (33 TJ)

Cross-section of the device

The fully assembled device had a hexagonal cross section, 1.25 meter in diameter and weighed 1400 kg. The device was detonated at 8.05 a.m. in a shaft 107 m under the army Pokhran test range in the Thar Desert (or Great Indian Desert), Rajasthan. Coordinates of the crater are 27.095°N 71.753°E / 27.095; 71.753. Officially the yield was reported at 12 kt, though outside estimates of the yield vary from 2 kt to 20 kt.

Controversial Yield

The yield of this test has also remained controversial with unclear data provided by Indian sources. Although occasional press reports have given ranges all the way up to 20 kt, and as low as 2 kt, the official yield was set early on at 12 kt (post Operation Shakti claims have raised it to 13 kt). Outside seismic data, and analysis of the crater features indicates a lower figure. Analysts usually estimate the yield at 4 to 6 kt using conventional seismic magnitude-to-yield conversion formulas. In recent years both Homi Sethna and P.K. Iyengar have conceded that the official yield is an exaggeration. Iyengar has variously stated that the yield was actually 8-10 kt, that the device was designed to yield 10 kt, and that the yield was 8 kt 'exactly as predicted'. Careful analysis of hard rock cratering effects establishes a tight bound around 8 kt for the yield however.

Code name

The project's code name was Smiling Buddha and the detonation was scheduled to occur on 18 May 1974 (the official test date), Buddha Jayanti, a festival day in India marking the birth of Gautama Buddha. The code name of the project has been listed as Operation Happy Krishna according to US military resources.

Aftermath

In 1975, Homi Sethna (chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission), Raja Ramanna and Nag Chaudhuri (head of the DRDO) received the Padma Vibhushan - India's second highest civilian award. Five other project members received the Padma Shri - India's fourth highest civilian award.

International Reaction

Pakistan

While India continued to state that the test was for peaceful purposes, it had severe opposition from many corners. The test caused Pakistan's Prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to vow that he would never succumb to "nuclear blackmail or hegemony". The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Dr. Munir Ahmed Khan said that the test would force Pakistan to test its own nuclear bomb. Pakistan's leading nuclear physicist and one of the top scientist, dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy held India and her decision' responsible for Pakistan's integrated nuclear development. In 2011, Hoodbhoy maintained that Pakistan was pushed further into the nuclear arena by the Indian test of May 1974.

United States and Canada

Ultimately, the United States and Canada were frustrated and angered when the news reached to international media. Countries in the West, the United States, and Canada on whose aid India then depended were angered by the tests.The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) was formed in reaction to the Indian tests to check international nuclear proliferation.

On other hand, Soviet Union did issued any statement and remain silent in support of India. Following this test, Premier Indira Gandhi issued an statement that the purpose of this test is completely peaceful and for the experimental purpose, make India self-reliance in the nuclear technology.

Effects

The CIRUS reactor used to produce the plutonium was a research reactor based on the NRX design and donated by Canada in 1960, with heavy water supplied by the US; ("CIRUS" = Canada-India Research U.S.). The Smiling Buddha test caused a public outcry in Canada, and in May 1976 the Canadian government cut off exchange of nuclear materials and technology with India in the wake of the test.

Pokhran-II

After this test, Indian nuclear testing program was froze until 1998. India did not carry out any further nuclear tests until the successful Operation Shakti in 1998.

Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement

A further effect of India's nuclear test was the formation of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), also known as the London Club, resulting in some restrictions on trade in nuclear materials and technology with India. The NSG waived restrictions on nuclear trade with India in 2008 as part of the Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement. However, the bans and restrictions were lifted once India assured the world that its nuclear development was for peaceful purposes.

See also

• India and weapons of mass destruction
• History of nuclear weapons
• List of countries with nuclear weapons