1998 India becoming a Nuclear Nation
In 1998, India conducted a series of nuclear tests at the Pokhran Test Range in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The tests, which were conducted on May 11 and May 13 of that year, consisted of five detonations, including one thermonuclear (hydrogen) bomb. The tests were widely condemned by the international community, and resulted in economic sanctions being imposed on India by several countries, including the United States. The decision to conduct the nuclear tests was made by the government of India, led by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The tests were seen as a response to Pakistan's nuclear tests earlier that month, and were also intended to demonstrate India's status as a nuclear-armed state. The tests caused widespread outrage and condemnation from the international community, with many countries expressing concern about the potential for an arms race in South Asia. The United States, in particular, imposed economic sanctions on India in response to the te...