‘Smiling Buddha’ at 52: Test that announced India’s nuclear arrival to the world

Fifty-two years ago, India detonated a nuclear device in Rajasthan’s Thar desert, codenamed ‘Smiling Buddha’. This event, coinciding with Buddha Purnima, marked India’s entry into the nuclear club. Despite being officially termed a ‘peaceful nuclear explosion’, the test ignited debate and reshaped India’s global standing, demonstrating scientific self-reliance and announcing strategic intent.