History Today: How India became a nuclear nation with Pokhran tests

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11-05-2025

One of the most important days in Indian history took place on May 11, 1998, when India conducted a series of underground nuclear tests. The tests, carried out in Rajasthan's Pokhran, made India the sixth country in the world to publicly demonstrate nuclear weapons capability read more
From left to right, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Defence Minister George Fernandes, India's 'missile man' APJ Abdul Kalam and Atomic Energy chief R Chidambaram display the victory symbol during a visit to the Shakti 1 test site, where India tested nuclear device in Pokhran. File image/AP
Every year, May 11 is celebrated as National Technology Day in India to mark the Pokhran nuclear tests in 1998. The country conducted a series of underground nuclear tests with five bombs in Rajasthan's Pokhran.
If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers' ongoing series, History Today will be your one-stop destination to explore key events.
On this day in 1997, IBM's supercomputer Deep Blue defeated world chess champion Garry Kasparov, marking the first time a reigning world champion lost a match to a computer under standard tournament conditions.
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Here is all that happened on this day.
Pokhran nuclear tests take place
It was 27 years ago that India scripted history on May 11, 1998, by conducting a series of underground nuclear tests with five bombs in Rajasthan's Pokhran . At 3.45 pm on 11 May, the tests were initiated, under the assigned code name Operation Shakti, with the detonation of one fusion and two fission bombs.
Once the approval for the tests were given, India began meticulously planning the procedure, away from the prying eyes of America. Reports state that the people involved in the tests were sworn to absolute secrecy and also they had one-and-a-half year to rehearse and plan every step.
The site where Shakti-3 nuclear device was detonated underground on 11 May 1998. File image/AFP
India detonated five nuclear devices over two days. The first test on May 11 included a thermonuclear device (hydrogen bomb), a fission bomb, and a sub-kiloton device. On May 13, two more sub-kiloton devices were tested. The success of these tests made India the sixth country in the world to publicly demonstrate nuclear weapons capability, alongside the US, Russia, the UK, France and China.
These events initiated a shift in India's global image, leading to intensified diplomatic engagement. Despite initial sanctions, the tests eventually led to deeper Indo-US strategic ties, exemplified by the 2005 India-US Civil Nuclear Agreement.
The tests were conducted in secrecy, evading international surveillance systems, including American satellites. This surprised global observers and led to immediate political reactions. The United States, Japan and several European nations imposed economic sanctions on India. However, domestically, the tests were widely celebrated as a demonstration of technological prowess and strategic autonomy.
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Deep Blue defeated Gary Kasparov
History was written once again in the field of chess for the second time when Deep Blue, developed by IBM, defeated world chess champion Garry Kasparov on this day in 1997. This marked the second time a reigning world champion lost a match to a computer under standard tournament conditions.
This was the sixth and final game of their match, in which Kasparov lost two games to one, with three draws. The last game of the 1997 Kasparov v. Deep Blue match lasted only an hour. Deep Blue traded its bishop and rook for Kasparov's queen, after sacrificing a knight to gain position on the board. The position left Kasparov defensive, but not helpless, and though he still had a playable position, Kasparov resigned, the first time in his career that he had conceded defeat.
World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov moves a knight in the second game on May 4, 1997 of his match in New York against the IBM Deep Blue computer. File image/AFP
Kasparov's loss was both shocking and symbolic. A fierce competitor and one of the greatest chess minds in history, he initially accused IBM of cheating, believing some moves were too creative for a machine. IBM denied the allegations, and the controversy sparked ongoing debate about the role and nature of AI.
The victory was not just about chess—it signaled a profound shift in how machines would interact with human intelligence. Deep Blue's success demonstrated that computers could outperform humans in specific cognitive tasks, setting the stage for the rapid advances in AI that followed.
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This Day, That Year
On this day in 1981, Bob Marley died of cancer at the age of 36.
Glacier National Park was established in the Rocky Mountain wilderness of northwestern Montana on this day in 1910.
In 1846, US President James K Polk asked Congress to declare war on Mexico.