<P> Efforts towards building the nuclear bomb, infrastructure, and research on related technologies have been undertaken by India since World War II . Origins of India's nuclear program dates back to 1944 when nuclear physicist Homi Bhabha began persuading the Indian Congress towards the harnessing of nuclear energy--a year later he established the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR). </P> <P> In 1950s, the preliminary studies were carried out at the BARC and plans were developed to produce plutonium and other bomb components . In 1962, India and China engaged in the disputed northern front, and was further intimidated with Chinese nuclear test in 1964 . Direction towards militarisation of the nuclear program slowed down when Vikram Sarabhai became its head and little interest of Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1965 . </P> <P> After Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister in 1966, the nuclear program was consolidated when physicist Raja Ramanna joined the efforts . Another nuclear test by China eventually led to India's decision toward building nuclear weapons in 1967 and conducted its first nuclear test, Smiling Buddha, in 1974 . </P> <P> Responding to Smiling Buddha, the Nuclear Suppliers Group severely affected the India's nuclear program . The world's major nuclear powers imposed technological embargo on India and Pakistan, which was technologically racing to meet with India's challenge . The nuclear program struggled for years to gain credibility and its progress crippled by the lack of indigenous resources and dependent on imported technology and technical assistance . At IAEA, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared that India's nuclear program was not militarising despite authorising preliminary work on the hydrogen bomb design . </P>

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