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List of nuclear weapons tests of India

{{short description|None}}

India's nuclear test series consists of a pair of series: Pokhran I and Pokhran II. Pokhran I was a single nuclear test conducted in 1974.

{{Infobox Nuclear weapons test

|picture =

|picture_description =A cylindrical shaped nuclear bomb, Shakti I, prior to its detonation. One of the bombs used during testing.

|country = India

|test_site =Pokhran Test Range, Rajasthan

|period = May 1974 – May 1998

|number_of_tests = 4 (6 Devices fired)

|max_yield=45 kt;
Scale down of 200 kt model|test_type=Underground tests (underground, underground shaft)|device_type=Fission and Fusion}}

Test Series

=Pokhran I=

{{Infobox nuclear weapons test

|name = Pokhran I

|picture_description = The Indian nuclear test site in Rajasthan is adjacent to its western neighboring country, Pakistan

|country = India

|test_site = Pokhran, Rajasthan, India

|period = 1974

|number_of_tests = 1

|test_type = Underground shaft

|max_yield = {{convert|12|ktTNT|lk=in}}

|next_series = Pokhran II

|device_type=Fission}}

{{GeoGroup|section=Pokhran I}}

The India test series summary table is below.

The detonations in the India's Pokhran I series are listed below:

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ India's Pokhran I series tests and detonations

style="background:#ffdead;" | Name The US, France and Great Britain have code-named their test events, while the USSR and China did not, and therefore have only test numbers (with some exceptions – Soviet peaceful explosions were named). Word translations into English in parentheses unless the name is a proper noun. A dash followed by a number indicates a member of a salvo event. The US also sometimes named the individual explosions in such a salvo test, which results in "name1 – 1(with name2)". If test is canceled or aborted, then the row data like date and location discloses the intended plans, where known.

!style="background:#efefef;" | Date time (UT)

!style="background:#ffdead;" | Local time zoneTo convert the UT time into standard local, add the number of hours in parentheses to the UT time; for local daylight saving time, add one additional hour. If the result is earlier than 00:00, add 24 hours and subtract 1 from the day; if it is 24:00 or later, subtract 24 hours and add 1 to the day. Historical time zone data obtained from the IANA time zone database.{{cite web| title=Time Zone Historical Database| publisher=iana.com| url=http://www.ietf.org/timezones/| accessdate=March 8, 2014}}

!style="background:#efefef;" | LocationRough place name and a latitude/longitude reference; for rocket-carried tests, the launch location is specified before the detonation location, if known. Some locations are extremely accurate; others (like airdrops and space blasts) may be quite inaccurate. "~" indicates a likely pro-forma rough location, shared with other tests in that same area.

!style="background:#ffdead;" | Elevation + height Elevation is the ground level at the point directly below the explosion relative to sea level; height is the additional distance added or subtracted by tower, balloon, shaft, tunnel, air drop or other contrivance. For rocket bursts the ground level is "N/A". In some cases it is not clear if the height is absolute or relative to ground, for example, Plumbbob/John. No number or units indicates the value is unknown, while "0" means zero. Sorting on this column is by elevation and height added together.

!style="background:#efefef;" | Delivery, Atmospheric, airdrop, balloon, gun, cruise missile, rocket, surface, tower, and barge are all disallowed by the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Sealed shaft and tunnel are underground, and remained useful under the PTBT. Intentional cratering tests are borderline; they occurred under the treaty, were sometimes protested, and generally overlooked if the test was declared to be a peaceful use.
Purpose Include weapons development, weapon effects, safety test, transport safety test, war, science, joint verification and industrial/peaceful, which may be further broken down.

!style="background:#efefef;" | DeviceDesignations for test items where known, "?" indicates some uncertainty about the preceding value, nicknames for particular devices in quotes. This category of information is often not officially disclosed.

!style="background:#ffdead;" | YieldEstimated energy yield in tons, kilotons, and megatons. A ton of TNT equivalent is defined as 4.184 gigajoules (1 gigacalorie).

!style="background:#efefef;" class="unsortable" | FalloutRadioactive emission to the atmosphere aside from prompt neutrons, where known. The measured species is only iodine-131 if mentioned, otherwise it is all species. No entry means unknown, probably none if underground and "all" if not; otherwise notation for whether measured on the site only or off the site, where known, and the measured amount of radioactivity released.

!style="background:#ffdead;" class="unsortable" | References

!style="background:#efefef;" class="unsortable" | Notes

Smiling Buddha{{anchor|Smiling Buddha}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1974|5|18}} 02:34:55.0

| style="text-align:center;" | IST
(+5.5 hrs) || Pokhran, India {{coord|27.09451|71.75365|name=Smiling Buddha|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000128

}{{convert|235|m|abbr=on}} – {{convert|107|m|abbr=on}}

| underground shaft,

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000120000|12 kt}}

|

|

| Indira Gandhi declared Smiling Buddha to be a peaceful test.

|}

=Pokhran II=

{{Infobox nuclear weapons test

|name = Pokhran II

|picture =

|picture_description = A cylindrically shaped nuclear bomb, Shakti I, prior to its detonation.

|country = India

|test_site = Pokhran, India

|period = 1998

|number_of_tests = 3 (5 Devices fired)

|test_type = Underground tests (underground, underground shaft)

|max_yield = {{convert|45|ktTNT|lk=in}};
Scale down of 200 kt model

|previous_series = Pokhran I

|device_type=Fission and Fusion}}

{{GeoGroup|section=Pokhran II}}

Pokhran II was a group of 2 nuclear tests conducted in 1998.

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ India's Pokhran II series tests and detonations

style="background:#ffdead;" | Name The US, France and Great Britain have code-named their test events, while the USSR and China did not, and therefore have only test numbers (with some exceptions – Soviet peaceful explosions were named). Word translations into English in parentheses unless the name is a proper noun. A dash followed by a number indicates a member of a salvo event. The US also sometimes named the individual explosions in such a salvo test, which results in "name1 – 1(with name2)". If test is canceled or aborted, then the row data like date and location discloses the intended plans, where known.

!style="background:#efefef;" | Date time (UT)

!style="background:#ffdead;" | Local time zoneTo convert the UT time into standard local, add the number of hours in parentheses to the UT time; for local daylight saving time, add one additional hour. If the result is earlier than 00:00, add 24 hours and subtract 1 from the day; if it is 24:00 or later, subtract 24 hours and add 1 to the day.

!style="background:#efefef;" | LocationRough place name and a latitude/longitude reference; for rocket-carried tests, the launch location is specified before the detonation location, if known. Some locations are extremely accurate; others (like airdrops and space blasts) may be quite inaccurate. "~" indicates a likely pro-forma rough location, shared with other tests in that same area.

!style="background:#ffdead;" | Elevation + height Elevation is the ground level at the point directly below the explosion relative to sea level; height is the additional distance added or subtracted by tower, balloon, shaft, tunnel, air drop or other contrivance. For rocket bursts the ground level is "N/A". In some cases it is not clear if the height is absolute or relative to ground, for example, Plumbbob/John. No number or units indicates the value is unknown, while "0" means zero. Sorting on this column is by elevation and height added together.

!style="background:#efefef;" | Delivery, Atmospheric, airdrop, balloon, gun, cruise missile, rocket, surface, tower, and barge are all disallowed by the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Sealed shaft and tunnel are underground, and remained useful under the PTBT. Intentional cratering tests are borderline; they occurred under the treaty, were sometimes protested, and generally overlooked if the test was declared to be a peaceful use.
Purpose Include weapons development, weapon effects, safety test, transport safety test, war, science, joint verification and industrial/peaceful, which may be further broken down.

!style="background:#efefef;" | DeviceDesignations for test items where known, "?" indicates some uncertainty about the preceding value, nicknames for particular devices in quotes. This category of information is often not officially disclosed.

!style="background:#ffdead;" | YieldEstimated energy yield in tons, kilotons, and megatons. A ton of TNT equivalent is defined as 4.184 gigajoules (1 gigacalorie).

!style="background:#efefef;" class="unsortable" | FalloutRadioactive emission to the atmosphere aside from prompt neutrons, where known. The measured species is only iodine-131 if mentioned, otherwise it is all species. No entry means unknown, probably none if underground and "all" if not; otherwise notation for whether measured on the site only or off the site, where known, and the measured amount of radioactivity released.

!style="background:#ffdead;" class="unsortable" | References

!style="background:#efefef;" class="unsortable" | Notes

Shakti 1 - 1{{anchor|Shakti 1}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1998|5|11}} 10:13:41.8

| style="text-align:center;" | IST
(+5.5 hrs) || Pokhran, India: White House {{coord|27.07883|71.72231|name=Shakti 1 - 1|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000026

}{{convert|226|m|abbr=on}} – {{convert|200|m|abbr=on}}

| underground shaft,

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000450000|45 kt}}

|

|

| Two stage thermonuclear device with fusion boosted primary, intended for missile warhead; test design yield 45 kt, with a 200 kt deployed yield.

|-

! Shakti 1 - 2{{anchor|Shakti 1}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1998|5|11}} 10:13:41.8

| style="text-align:center;" | IST
(+5.5 hrs) || Pokhran, India: Taj Mahal {{coord|27.07883|71.72231|name=Shakti 1 - 2|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000076|}}{{convert|226|m|abbr=on}} – {{convert|150|m|abbr=on}}

| underground shaft,

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000120000|12 kt}}

|

|

| Lightweight pure fission tactical bomb/missile warhead, 12 kt design yield; exact locations of sites is unknown.

|-

! Shakti 1 - 3{{anchor|Shakti 1}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1998|5|11}} 10:13:41.8

| style="text-align:center;" | IST
(+5.5 hrs) || Pokhran, India: Kumbhkaran {{coord|27.07883|71.72231|name=Shakti 1 - 3|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000226|}}{{convert|226|m|abbr=on}} +

| underground,

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000002000|200 t}}

|

|

| Fission experimental device, reportedly made with reactor-grade plutonium. Probably a fusion boosted design without the fusion fuel, 0.3 kt design yield; exact locations of sites is unknown.

|-

! Shakti 2 - 1{{anchor|Shakti 2}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1998|5|13}} 06:51:??

| style="text-align:center;" | IST
(+5.5 hrs) || Pokhran, India: Navtala 1 {{coord|27.07347|71.71353|name=Shakti 2 - 1|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000206|}}{{convert|226|m|abbr=on}} – {{convert|20|m|abbr=on}}

| underground,

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000005000|500 t}}

|

|

| A 0.5 kt experimental device; exact locations of sites is unknown.

|-

! Shakti 2 - 2{{anchor|Shakti 2}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1998|5|13}} 06:51:??

| style="text-align:center;" | IST
(+5.5 hrs) || Pokhran, India: Navtala 2 {{coord|27.07347|71.71353|name=Shakti 2 - 2|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000226|}}{{convert|226|m|abbr=on}} +

| underground,

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000003000|300 t}}

|

|

| A 0.2 kt experimental device that used uranium-233; exact locations of sites is unknown.

|-

! Shakti 2 - 3
(canceled){{anchor|Shakti 2}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1998|5|13}} 06:51:??

| style="text-align:center;" | IST
(+5.5 hrs) || Pokhran, India: Navtala 3 {{coord|27.0734|71.7135|name=Shakti 2 - 3|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000226|}}{{convert|226|m|abbr=on}} +

| underground,

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000000000|unknown yield}}

|

|

| Not fired; another low yield experimental device Exact locations of sites is unknown.

|}

{{reflist|group=n}}

Summary

{{see also|List of nuclear weapons tests}}

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

|+ India's nuclear testing series summary

style="background:#ffdead;" | Series or years

!style="background:#efefef;" | Years covered

!style="background:#ffdead;" | TestsIncludes all tests with potential for nuclear fission or fusion explosion, including combat use, singleton tests, salvo tests, zero yield fails, safety experiments, and bombs incapacitated by accidents but still intended to be fired. It does not include hydronuclear and subcritical tests,, and misfires of a device which was subsequently fired successfully.

!style="background:#efefef;" | Devices fired

!style="background:#ffdead;" | Devices with unknown yield

!style="background:#efefef;" | Peaceful use tests

!style="background:#ffdead;" | Non-PTBT testsNumber of tests which would have been in violation of the Partial Test Ban Treaty of 1963, such as atmospheric, space or underwater tests. Some "peaceful use" cratering tests which should have been violations were protested, and later quietly dropped.

!style="background:#efefef;" class="unsortable" | Yield range (kilotons) "Small" refers to a value greater than zero but less than 0.5 kt.

!style="background:#ffdead;" | Total yield (kilotons) Some yields are described like "< 20 kt"; such are scored at one half of the numeric amount, i.e., yield of 10k in this example. "Unknown yield" adds nothing to the total.

!style="background:#efefef; text-align:center;" class="unsortable" | Notes

Pokhran I

| 1974

| {{sort|0001|1}}

| {{sort|0001|1}}

| {{sort|0000

}

| {{sort|0001|1}}

| {{sort|0000|}}

| 12

| {{sort|0012|12}}

|style="text-align:left;" |

|-

! Pokhran–II

| 1998

| {{sort|0003|3}}

| {{sort|0005|5}}

| {{sort|0000|}}

| {{sort|0000|}}

| {{sort|0000|}}

| small to 45

| {{sort|0058|58}}

|style="text-align:left;" |

|- class="sortbottom"

!style="background:#efefef;" | Totals

|style="background:#efefef;" | 1974-May-18 to 1998-May-13

|style="background:#efefef;" | 4

|style="background:#efefef;" | 6

|style="background:#efefef;" |

|style="background:#efefef;" | 1

|style="background:#efefef;" |

|style="background:#efefef;" | 0 to 45

|style="background:#efefef;" | 70

|style="background:#efefef;text-align:left;" | Total country yield is 0.013% of all nuclear testing.

|}

{{reflist|group=Summ}}

References

{{reflist|refs=

{{cite web| last=Sublette| first=Carey| title=Nuclear Weapon Archives| url=http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/India/IndiaShakti.html| accessdate=January 20, 2013}}

{{cite web| last=Sublette| first=Carey| title=Nuclear Weapon Archives| url=http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/India/IndiaRealYields.html| accessdate=January 20, 2013}}

{{cite book| last1=Norris| first1=Robert S.| first2=Andrew S.| last2=Burrows| first3=Richard W.| last3=Fieldhouse| year=1994| title=Nuclear Weapons Databook, Vol. 5: British, French, and Chinese Nuclear Weapons| publisher=Westview Press| location=Boulder, CO}}

{{cite tech report| last1=Yang| first1=Xiaoping| first2=Robert| last2=North| first3=Carl| last3=Romney|date=August 2000| title=CMR Nuclear Explosion Database (Revision 3)| publisher=SMDC Monitoring Research}}

}}

Sources

{{refbegin}}

  • {{citation|title=Catalog of Worldwide Nuclear Testing |editor-last=Mikhailov |editor-first=V.N. |first1=LA |last1=Andryushi |first2=N.P. |last2=Voloshin |first3=R.I. |last3=Ilkaev |first4=A.M. |last4=Matushchenko |first5=L.D. |last5=Ryabev |first6=V.G. |last6=Strukov |first7=A.K. |last7=Chernyshev |first8=Yu.A. |last8=Yudin |url=http://www.iss-atom.ru/ksenia/catal_nt/ |accessdate=2013-03-04 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219131618/http://www.iss-atom.ru/ksenia/catal_nt/ |archivedate=2013-12-19 }}
  • {{citation| title=Johnston and johnston Archive of Nuclear Weapons| author=Wm Robert Johnston, PhD| url=http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/nuclear/| accessdate=2013-12-31}}

{{refend}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nuclear weapons tests}}

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