January 4, 1999

NUCLEAR TESTS
What a Blast

Five explosions in May confirmed India's nuclear capability.

FACT FILE

After a 24-year hiatus, India conducted three nuclear tests on May 11, following that up with two more on May 13 at Pokhran, Rajasthan. Total yield of the five tests was estimated at 60 kilo tonnes. I can now believe stories about Lord Krishna lifting a hill --Pokhran team member, after the nuclear tests

Getting an electrician in India who can repair a fuse without it blowing up again the next day is a minor miracle. So while one can argue till the lights go out over the merits of stockpiling nuclear weapons, there was little doubt about the technological excellence achieved by India's nuclear scientists when they conducted an astonishing five nuclear tests in Pokhran in the summer of 1998. These established India as a de facto nuclear-weapons state.

As significant is that in a country where the best kept secrets are usually the worst, the Pokhran team kept the entire mission under wraps, managing to fool even the redoubtable CIA. Among the techniques the scientists used was to don army fatigues and adopt code names whenever they went to Pokhran. Only when the earth shook with the multiple explosions did the world wise up to India's nuclear coup.

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