India was declared nuclear state 24 yrs after 1st nuke test

India conducted its first-ever nuclear test in 1974 at Rajasthan's Pokhran, the sixth country after five permanent UN countries to do so. Codenamed 'Smiling Buddha', India termed the test a "peaceful nuclear explosion" fearing US sanctions. However, after five successful detonations in Operation Shakti, then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee declared India as a "full-fledged nuclear state" on May 13, 1998.