Which option correctly names India's first nuclear test conducted at Pokhran?

Which option correctly names India's first nuclear test conducted at Pokhran?

• A. Chagai-I (1998)
• B. Trinity (1945)
• C. Fat Man (1945)
• D. Smiling Buddha (1974)

Answer: (D)

India's first nuclear test at Pokhran is named Smiling Buddha. This test took place in 1974 and marked the country’s entry into the group of nuclear-armed nations. The codename Smiling Buddha was the official name used for that test, signaling a peaceful-nuclear-explosion narrative at the time. By contrast, Chagai-I refers to Pakistan’s 1998 tests, while Trinity was the United States’ first nuclear test in 1945, and Fat Man was the nickname for the weapon design used in Nagasaki in 1945. So the correct name for India's Pokhran test is Smiling Buddha.

India's first nuclear test at Pokhran is named Smiling Buddha. This test took place in 1974 and marked the country’s entry into the group of nuclear-armed nations. The codename Smiling Buddha was the official name used for that test, signaling a peaceful-nuclear-explosion narrative at the time. By contrast, Chagai-I refers to Pakistan’s 1998 tests, while Trinity was the United States’ first nuclear test in 1945, and Fat Man was the nickname for the weapon design used in Nagasaki in 1945. So the correct name for India's Pokhran test is Smiling Buddha.