Historical eventMay 181974

Smiling Buddha

India conducted its first nuclear test explosion at Pokhran, the first confirmed nuclear test by a nation outside the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

Everything on May 18Original source

In context

When
Saturday, May 18 197452 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
20th century · 1970s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

At a glance

Dates: From 1974-05-18.

Place: Thar Desert, India.

Type: peaceful nuclear explosion and underground nuclear weapons test.

What came beforeAI-assisted

India launched its nuclear research program in the 1940s under physicist Homi Bhabha, establishing the Atomic Energy Commission in 1948. The country signed the Partial Test Ban Treaty in 1963, which prohibited nuclear tests in the atmosphere, underwater, and in space—but allowed underground tests.

Catalyst / how it startedAI-assisted

India's 1962 military defeat by China in the Sino-Indian War accelerated the nuclear weapons program as a strategic deterrent. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi authorized the test in 1972 as part of the Peaceful Nuclear Explosion (PNE) program, officially framed as civilian research rather than weapons development.

Who was involvedAI-assisted

Prime Minister Indira Gandhi authorized the test, while physicist Raja Ramanna led the scientific team at the Department of Atomic Energy. The test was conducted at the Pokhran test range in Rajasthan with approximately 100 scientists and engineers involved in the operation.

TimelineAI-assisted

The test was detonated at 8:05 a.m. IST on May 18, 1974, with an estimated yield of 12 kilotons. India announced the explosion on May 19, 1974, calling it a peaceful nuclear explosion for scientific research purposes.

What happened

India conducted its first nuclear test explosion at Pokhran, the first confirmed nuclear test by a nation outside the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

May 18 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 1974Smiling Buddha
  2. 20062006 Nepalese revolution
  3. 2006Federal Parliament of Nepal
  4. 2009Sri Lanka Army
  5. 2009Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
  6. 2013Murder of Mark Carson
  7. 20152015 Colombian landslide
  8. 20182018 Santa Fe High School shooting
  9. 2018Cubana de Aviación Flight 0972
  10. 20192020 United States presidential election
  11. 20262026 Islamic Center of San Diego shooting

Also in 1974

  • September 15Air Vietnam Flight 706Air Vietnam Flight 706 is hijacked, then crashes while attempting to land with 75 on board.
  • September 17BangladeshBangladesh, Grenada and Guinea-Bissau join the United Nations.
  • August 14Turkish invasion of CyprusTurkey launches the second phase of the invasion of Cyprus, which eventually resulted in the Turkish occupation of 37% of Cyprus.
  • June 26Universal Product CodeThe Universal Product Code is scanned for the first time to sell a package of Wrigley's chewing gum at the Marsh Supermarket in Troy, Ohio.
  • May 4ManasluAn all-female Japanese team reached the summit of Manaslu in the Himalayas, becoming the first women to climb a peak higher than 8,000 me…
  • June 1Henry HeimlichIn an informal article in a medical journal, Henry Heimlich introduced the concept of abdominal thrusts, commonly known as the Heimlich m…
  • November 21Birmingham pub bombingsBombs exploded in two pubs in central Birmingham, England, killing 21 people and leading to the imprisonment of six people who were later…
  • November 16Arecibo messageThe Arecibo message is broadcast from Puerto Rico.

Everything we record for 1974 →

Sources

Cite this page

“Smiling Buddha”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/smiling-buddha-1974-may-18, accessed October 26, 2026.

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Questions about this entry

When did Smiling Buddha happen?

May 18 1974 — 52 years ago, on a Saturday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints. Panels marked AI-assisted were filled where the sources left a heading empty.

How do I cite this page?

Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.

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