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The first nuclear test at Pokhran was conducted in:
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Answer: Option A — 1974
Detailed Solution
India carried out its first nuclear test on 18 May 1974 at the Pokhran test range in Jaisalmer district, Rajasthan. The test was code-named "Smiling Buddha", because it took place on Buddha Purnima. The government officially called it a "Peaceful Nuclear Explosion" (PNE). It made India the sixth country to conduct a nuclear test, after the USA, the USSR, the United Kingdom, France and China, and the first country outside the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to do so.
About Pokhran-I (1974):
It was conducted under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
The project was led by Dr Raja Ramanna, director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), with scientists such as P. K. Iyengar and R. Chidambaram.
It was a single plutonium-based device with a yield of about 8-12 kilotons.
After the test, several countries imposed sanctions on India, and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) was formed in 1974-75 to control the export of nuclear materials.
Pokhran-II (1998):
On 11 and 13 May 1998, India carried out five more nuclear tests at Pokhran, code-named "Operation Shakti", under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
The tests were led by Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam (scientific adviser and DRDO chief) and Dr R. Chidambaram (Atomic Energy Commission chairman).
India then declared itself a nuclear weapon state.
11 May is celebrated every year as National Technology Day.
Pakistan responded with its own nuclear tests at Chagai in late May 1998.
India's nuclear doctrine (2003) is based on "No First Use" and "credible minimum deterrence". The father of India's nuclear programme is Dr Homi J. Bhabha.
Why not the other options?
- ✗1998 is the year of Pokhran-II (Operation Shakti).
- ✗1964 is the year of China's first nuclear test.
- ✗1980 is not linked to a Pokhran test.
Quick tip
Remember: Pokhran-I = 18 May 1974, "Smiling Buddha" (Indira Gandhi, Raja Ramanna); Pokhran-II = 11 and 13 May 1998, "Operation Shakti" (Vajpayee, Kalam); 11 May = National Technology Day.
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Firsts in India & World — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Firsts in India & World, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the first persons and events in India and the world: the first Indian to win a Nobel Prize, the first woman to hold major offices, the first to climb Everest or reach space, and India's first institutions, newspapers, railways and satellites. It also covers the largest, longest, highest and smallest records in India and the world. These are pure memory questions, so revise them as short lists by theme: first women, first in sports, first in science and space, and first in governance. Be careful with the exact wording, such as 'first Indian' versus 'first person of Indian origin', or 'first woman President' versus 'first woman Prime Minister', since options are often designed to exploit this. Practise the firsts in India and the world questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.