Kakodkar reiterates success of Pokhran-II nuclear tests

Says scientists have achieved success in building deterrence capability of up to 200 kilotons.

September 24, 2009 03:42 pm | Updated December 04, 2021 10:47 pm IST - Mumbai

Rubbishing doubts on the efficacy of the hydrogen bomb test in 1998, Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Anil Kakodkar on Thursday said scientists have achieved success in building deterrence capability of up to 200 kilotons.

“Once again I would like to re-emphasise that the 1998 nuclear tests were fully successful. We had achieved all the objectives.

“It has given us the capability to build deterrence based on both fission and thermonuclear weapon systems from modest to all the way upto 200 kilotons,” he said addressing a press conference here.

Mr. Kakodkar, who was the Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in 1998, termed as “unnecessary” the controversy over the Pokhran—II nuclear tests triggered after claims by a former DRDO scientist that the hydrogen bomb experiment was a failure.

R Chidambaram, Chairman of the AEC in 1998 and the current Principal Scientific Adviser to the Union Government, made a presentation on the results of the Pokhran—II nuclear tests.

Former DRDO scientist K Santhanam, who was the DRDO coordinator for the 1998 tests, had claimed that the thermonuclear test was much below expectation triggering a controversy.

Mr. Santhanam had also demanded an inquiry by an independent panel of experts into the test results.

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