Posted on 10/27/2001 6:05:49 PM PDT by vannrox
INDIA ANNOUNCES NEW NUCLEAR DOCTRINE
On 17 August 1999, the Indian Government released a "Draft Report of National Security Advisory Board on Indian Nuclear Doctrine." The report indicated that New Delhi will pursue the development over time of a nuclear triad, that is land- and sea-based missiles and air-delivered weapons. Survivability, the report says, "will be enhanced by a combination of multiple redundant systems, mobility, dispersion, and deception."
New Delhi pledges to pursue a policy of "credible minimum nuclear deterrence." Under this policy, India will not be the first to use nuclear weapons in a conflict; rather, it will execute nuclear strikes only after it is attacked with nuclear weapons.
India will also invest in a command and control and early warning structure to enhance the effectiveness of its nuclear posture. The Prime Minister, or "the designated successor(s)," will have sole authority to initiate the release of nuclear weapons.
The Draft Report cannot be adopted as official policy until after a new government is selected in elections that get underway in September 1999.
Click here for a full text of the Draft Report.
Neutron Bomb Maneuverings Just days before releasing the Draft Report, the Chairman of India's Atomic Energy Commission, Rajagopala Chidambaram, revealed that India had the capability to build neutron bombs. In an interview with the Press Trust of India, he specifically said India could build "any type or size" of nuclear weapon. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 400 Indian Warheads? Separately, a leading Indian defense commentator, Wilson John, reported that the country has "enough fissile material to produce 400 nuclear warheads." His comment was carried in the 18 August 1999 edition of The Pioneer, an independent daily paper with a reputation for strong coverage of domestic issues and thoughtful editorial positions. ![]() ![]() ![]() Assessment As with the Asian missile race currently underway, New Delhi, Islamabad, and Beijing are jockeying for power and recognition with their expanding nuclear arsenals. Perceptions are vitally important in this competition and each capital needs to demonstrate at least parity with its main adversary. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
India changing it's doctrine right now would be extremely noteworthy, considering all the stuff going on in that region, but that isn't the case.
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