PM Modi Highlights Pokhran-II As Symbol Of India's Nuclear Resolve In 1998
PM Modi highlights Pokhran-II as defining moment of India’s nuclear resolve.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests demonstrated India’s unwavering resolve to the world and reinforced the message that no external pressure could bend the nation’s strategic decisions. In a post on social media platform X, he reflected on the events of May 11 and May 13, 1998, noting that India had faced intense international pressure but still carried out the tests with determination and confidence.
The tests referred to are part of Pokhran-II nuclear tests, also known as Operation Shakti, conducted at the Pokhran Test Range in Rajasthan. The series included five underground nuclear detonations carried out over two days—three on May 11 and two on May 13, 1998—marking a pivotal moment in India’s scientific and strategic history.
The operation was authorised by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and executed under the leadership of leading scientists, including APJ Abdul Kalam, along with support from the Atomic Energy Commission. The successful tests established India as a declared nuclear-armed state and are widely regarded as a defining milestone in the country’s technological and defence capabilities. The significance of the achievement is also commemorated annually as National Technology Day.
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Recalling the aftermath of the tests, PM Modi highlighted that India faced widespread international scrutiny and economic sanctions following the detonations. He said that despite global pressure, India’s leadership and scientific community stood firm, reflecting a broader message of national self-reliance and strategic autonomy. He also referenced his earlier remarks made during the Somnath Amrut Mahotsav celebrations at the Somnath Temple in Gujarat, where he had similarly underscored India’s resolve.
PM Modi further described the naming of the mission as “Operation Shakti” as symbolic of India’s growing confidence and determination in the face of global challenges. He reiterated that the events of 1998 continue to represent a landmark in India’s rise as a global power, shaped by scientific achievement, political resolve, and national interest taking precedence over external pressure.
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