Implications of Indian Tactical Nuclear Weapons for South Asia
Abstract
The new Modi government in India will review India’s nuclear policy to address how India could most effectively respond to Pakistan’s reported development of and threat to use battlefield nuclear weapons, with which Pakistan intends to deter or defeat Indian use of conventional military forces in retaliation for a prospective terrorist attack attributed to Pakistan. The proposed project will identify and analyze options Indian decision-makers will consider in terms of nuclear capabilities and doctrine as they conduct their review. The project will examine the factors that could guide India in deciding whether to develop battlefield nuclear weapons to provide more symmetric and flexible options to counter Pakistan’s use of theater nuclear weapons to deter Indian conventional military operations. In identifying and analyzing India’s policy choices and their implications, the PIs will rely heavily on insights and background data gained in frequent workshops and discussions with experts in India and Pakistan. The result will be a monograph published and briefed in public and private meetings with experts, scholars and officials in Washington, India, and Pakistan. The analysis will be paired with recommendations that the governments of India, Pakistan and the United States could consider in order to minimize the destabilizing effects of the next phase of Indo-Pak nuclear competition, reflecting the shared public purpose of avoiding the use of nuclear weapons.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 09, 2016
- Source ID
- N002441510024
Entities
People
- George Perkovich
Organizations
- Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Office of the Secretary of Defense