Mark The Truth

India claimed to have conducted a 45kt thermonuclear (fusion) test, a 15kt fission test and a 0.2kt experimental test on May 11, 1998, besides a 0.5kt test and a 0.3kt test on May. After the tests, India claimed that “the yields, estimated through close-in measurements, are consistent with design yields and have been confirmed by analysis of global and regional seismic data, by post-shot gamma radiation logging measurement and by radiochemical measurements on rock samples.”  However, majority of the foreign seismic experts remained skeptical of Indian claims.  They believed the yields to be overstated.

On August 27, 2009 in an interview with Times of India   K Santhanam, senior scientist and DRDO representative at Pokhran II admitted that the only thermonuclear device tested was a "fizzle". In nuclear parlance, a test is described as a fizzle when it fails to meet the desired yield.  Santhanam, was director for 1998 test site preparations in Pokhran test range, has stated hat the thermonuclear explosions conducted at that time were ‘actually of much below expectations and the tests were perhaps more a fizzle rather than a big bang’. This is the first time some Indian senior scientist gave some reservation about the nuke programme.  He was the closely associated with the 1998 tests.