On May 18, 1974, India conducted a 'peaceful' nuclear explosion - which came on the heels of vivisecting Pakistan. The intervening decades have seen nuclear adventures and misadventures, plans for pre-emptive strikes created and shelved and we ended the millennium with nuclear tests on both sides of the border. India's journey since, has been responsible and respectful - but did the tests help India achieve her aims? Would Prime Minister MMS' deal with the US have been possible without the impetus created by Pokhran II in 1998?