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India is observing National Technology Day on Monday. And Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted all those who are taking advantage of technology to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
“On National Technology Day, our nation salutes all those who are taking advantage of technology to make a positive difference in the lives of others. We remember the exceptional achievement of our scientists on this day in 1998. It was a historic moment in the history of India, “Prime Minister Modi said on Twitter, referring to India’s nuclear test in Rajasthan’s Pokhran.
On National Technology Day, our nation salutes all those who are taking advantage of technology to make a positive difference in the lives of others. We remember the exceptional achievement of our scientists on this day in 1998. It was a historic moment in the history of India.
– Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 11, 2020
“The tests in Pokhran in 1998 also showed the difference that strong political leadership can make,” he said in another tweet.
Tests at Pokhran in 1998 also showed the difference that strong political leadership can make.
This is what I said about Pokhran, Indian scientists, and Atal Ji’s remarkable leadership during one of the #MannKiBaat programs pic.twitter.com/UuJR1tLtrL
– Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 11, 2020
The day has a historical perspective, as it was on May 11, 1998, that India made a breakthrough in technology by successfully conducting nuclear tests in Pokhran when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was Prime Minister.
The underground tests marked the country’s arrival on the world nuclear stage and set the stage for some impressive developments in its strategic program.
The first three detonations took place simultaneously at 3:45 p.m. on May 11. These included a 45 kT thermonuclear device, a 15kt fission device, and a 0.2 kt sub-kiloton device (which is less than a kiloton). The two nuclear devices detonated simultaneously on May 13 were also in the sub-kiloton range, 0.5 kT and 0.3 kT.
The test came months after then-Foreign Secretary K Raghunath told his American counterpart that India had no intention of testing a nuclear device.
The test opened floodgates of problems for India: sanctions, economic and military isolation and interaction.
What followed were discussions between Strobe Talbot, then US Secretary of State. And then Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh took place in seven countries, 10 cities and included 14 rounds of talks.
For the Americans and the west, India was tearing the nuclear club apart. With Pakistan seeking nuclear parity, Americans feared that South Asia would become a nuclear flashpoint. Much of Talbot-Singh’s conversation covered this terrain.
The immediate challenge was to mitigate international opposition and eventually close the confidence gap with the United States.
But over the years, India successfully accomplished everything, and its nuclear program matured significantly.
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