Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, 11 May invoked India's landmark 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests, declaring that no force in the world could compel India or its citizens to submit to external pressure. Speaking at the Somnath Amrut Mahotsav celebrations in Ahmedabad, marking 75 years of reconstruction of the Somnath Temple, Modi drew a direct line between nuclear sovereignty and national self-belief.

What Modi Said

Addressing the gathering after the Kumbhabhishek ceremony at the Somnath Temple, Modi described how India conducted three nuclear tests on 11 May 1998 and two more on 13 May 1998 under Operation Shakti. "On May 11, India conducted three nuclear tests in Pokhran. Our scientists showcased the country's might and prowess before the world, this sent shockwaves across the world," he said.

He acknowledged the severity of the international response, noting that global powers imposed sweeping economic sanctions following the tests. "Anybody would have been shaken by this, when global powers gang up against you. But, we are made of different soil," Modi said, adding that the political leadership under the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee demonstrated that national interests were non-negotiable.

Tribute to Vajpayee's Leadership

Modi credited former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee with providing the political will to carry through the tests despite enormous international pressure. He drew a wordplay on Vajpayee's first name — "atal" meaning resolute in Hindi — stating that the second round of tests on 13 May revealed the "atal will" of India's leadership to the world.

He underscored that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of that era had firmly placed national interest above diplomatic convenience, a message he appeared to frame as a continuing principle of Indian statecraft.

Significance of Operation Shakti

Modi elaborated on the naming of the nuclear mission as Operation Shakti, describing it as a symbol of India's growing self-belief and strategic confidence. The tests, he noted, marked a defining shift in India's geopolitical positioning — transforming the country into a recognised nuclear-armed state capable of withstanding coordinated international pressure.

Historically, the Pokhran-I test on 18 May 1974 — code-named Smiling Buddha — was India's first nuclear detonation. The Pokhran-II series in May 1998 was more comprehensive, involving five tests and triggering a sharp global reaction including sanctions from the United States, Japan, and other major powers.

Context: Why Somnath and Why Now

The choice of the Somnath Amrut Mahotsav as the platform for these remarks carries symbolic weight. The Somnath Temple's reconstruction — championed by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and completed in 1951 — is itself a narrative of national resilience. By invoking Pokhran at this venue, Modi layered two distinct moments of Indian assertion — cultural and strategic — into a single address.

As India navigates a complex geopolitical environment, Modi's remarks signal a continued emphasis on strategic autonomy as a cornerstone of Indian foreign and defence policy.