Operation Shakti refers to a series of nuclear tests conducted by India in May 1998. The operation marked India's declaration as a nuclear weapons state, following a series of tests that demonstrated its capability to develop and deploy nuclear weapons. The tests took place at the Pokhran Test Range in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan. Operation Shakti included five detonations, which were significant in establishing India's strategic defense posture and enhancing its security in a region marked by nuclear tensions, particularly with neighboring Pakistan.