Editing Indira Gandhi (section)

=== India's nuclear programme ===
{{Main|India and weapons of mass destruction|Smiling Buddha}}
Gandhi contributed to and carried out further, the vision of [[Jawaharlal Nehru]], the former premier of India, to develop its nuclear program.<ref name="http://nuclearweaponarchive.org" /><ref name=prolifimpact>{{cite book|last=Perkovich|first=George|title=India's nuclear bomb: the impact on global proliferation|year=2002|publisher=[[University of California Press]]|isbn= 978-0-520-23210-5}}</ref> Gandhi authorised the development of nuclear weapons in 1967, in response to ''[[Test No. 6]]'' by the People's Republic of China. Gandhi saw the test as Chinese nuclear intimidation and promoted Nehru's views to establish India's stability and security interests independent from those of the nuclear superpowers.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/nehrus-refusal-of-kennedys-offer-of-nuclear-detonation-kept-india-out-of-the-nsg/articleshow/52732667.cms?from=mdr |title=Nehru's refusal of Kennedy's offer of nuclear detonation kept India out of the NSG |last=Chaudhury |first=Dipanjan Roy |date=12 July 2018 |newspaper=The Economic Times |url-status=live |access-date=22 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401192438/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/nehrus-refusal-of-kennedys-offer-of-nuclear-detonation-kept-india-out-of-the-nsg/articleshow/52732667.cms?from=mdr |archive-date=1 April 2019 }}</ref>

The programme became fully mature in 1974, when [[Raja Ramanna]] reported to Gandhi that India had the ability to test its first nuclear weapon. Gandhi gave verbal authorisation for the [[nuclear testing|test]], and preparations were made in the Indian Army's [[Pokhran Test Range]].<ref name="http://nuclearweaponarchive.org">{{cite web|last= Sublette|first= Carey|title= Origins of Indian nuclear program|url= http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/India/IndiaOrigin.html|work= Nuclear Weapon Archive|access-date= 13 November 2011|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190809125408/http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/India/IndiaOrigin.html|archive-date= 9 August 2019|url-status= live}}</ref> In 1974, India successfully conducted an underground nuclear test, unofficially code named "''Smiling Buddha''", near the desert village of [[Pokhran]] in Rajasthan.<ref name="Smiling Buddha">{{cite web| url= http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/India/IndiaSmiling.html| work= India's Nuclear Weapons Program| title= Smiling Buddha, 1974| publisher= Nuclear Weapon Archive| access-date= 26 February 2020| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190829003453/http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/India/IndiaSmiling.html| archive-date= 29 August 2019| url-status= live}}</ref> As the world was quiet about this test, a vehement protest came from Pakistan as its prime minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, described the test as "Indian hegemony" to intimidate Pakistan.<ref>{{Citation | publisher = [[Associated Press of Pakistan]] (APP) and Pakistan Television (PTV) | title = Prime minister Secretariat Press Release | quote = India's so-called Peaceful Nuclear Explosion (PNE) is tested and designed to intimidate and establish "Indian hegemony in the subcontinent", most particularly Pakistan... | first = Zulfikar Ali | last = Bhutto | date = 18 May 1974 | url = http://www.nti.org/e_research/profiles/Pakistan/Nuclear/chronology_1974.html | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110918040826/http://www.nti.org/e_research/profiles/Pakistan/Nuclear/chronology_1974.html | archive-date = 18 September 2011 }}</ref> In response to this, [[Zulfikar Ali Bhutto|Bhutto]] launched a massive campaign to make Pakistan a nuclear power. Bhutto asked the nation to unite and slogans such as "hum ghaas aur pattay kha lay gay magar nuclear power ban k rhe gay" ("We will eat grass or leaves or even go hungry, but we will get nuclear power") were employed. Gandhi directed a letter to Bhutto, and later to the world, claiming the test was for [[Peaceful nuclear explosion|peaceful purposes]] and part of India's commitment to develop its programme for industrial and scientific use.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/WikiLeaks-Indira-had-offered-to-share-N-tech-with-Pakistan-in-1974/articleshow/19467959.cms |title=WikiLeaks: Indira had offered to share N-tech with Pakistan |newspaper=The Times of India |date=10 April 2013 |url-status=live |access-date=13 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190406115840/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/WikiLeaks-Indira-had-offered-to-share-N-tech-with-Pakistan-in-1974/articleshow/19467959.cms |archive-date=6 April 2019 }}</ref>

In spite of intense international criticism and steady decline in foreign investment and trade, the nuclear test was popular domestically. The test caused an immediate revival of Gandhi's popularity, which had flagged considerably from its heights after the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971|1971 war]]. The overall popularity and image of the Congress Party was enhanced and the Congress Party was well received in the [[Indian Parliament]].