Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs - India -- Nuclear program

India's Key Foreign Policy Issues

Xenia Dormandy — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 12:00:59 -0500

April 7, 2008

In recent years, India's military, diplomatic and economic energies have expanded far beyond Nehru's Non-Aligned position. But what does that mean for India, its region, and the United States?

A Cold Start for Hot Wars? The Indian Army's New Limited War Doctrine

Walter C. Ladwig III — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 13:32:58 -0600

India’s inability to coerce Pakistan into halting its support for insurgents in Kashmir, as well as its experience in past conflicts with Pakistan, led it to develop Cold Start—a new offensive military doctrine that will allow it to mobilize quickly and retaliate in a limited manner. Although India is far from realizing its goal, this break from a traditional defensive strategy deserves scrutiny. A history of misperception and mistrust between India and Pakistan, poor intelligence, and domestic insecurity suggests that limited war could quickly escalate to the nuclear threshold, posing a serious risk to the stability of the subcontinent and the rest of the world.

Nuclear Deal will be Revived

Sat, 20 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0500

As director for South Asia at the US National Security Council, Xenia Dormandy played a key role coordinating the July 2005 visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Washington. The trip resulted in the historic civilian nuclear agreement which today, under attack from the United Progressive Alliance’s Left partners, appears to be floundering. In an interview, Ms Dormandy expressed confidence that the nuclear deal would go through. It’s only a matter of when, she said.

Securing the Bomb 2007

Matthew Bunn — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Managing the Atom Senior Research Associate Matthew Bunn provides a comprehensive assessment of efforts to secure and remove vulnerable nuclear stockpiles around the world, and a detailed action plan for reducing the risk of nuclear terrorism. Securing the Bomb 2007 was commissioned by the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI). The full report, with additional information on the threat of nuclear terrorism, is available on the NTI website.

Pakistan: Instability Raises Nuclear Security Concerns

Hassan Abbas — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Managing the Atom Fellow Hassan Abbas provides analysis of Pakistan’s nuclear command and control systems and the security of its nuclear program in the aftermath of the recent test-firing of a nuclear-capable missile and terrorist attack.

Growing Links for US and India

Xenia Dormandy — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0500

July 19, 2007

As the centerpiece of the transformed relationship, there is enormous political will to complete the deal, but the devil is in the details.

Resolve India-Pakistan Tension

Xenia Dormandy — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0600

February 17, 2007

There is talk about the U.S.-Pakistan-Afghanistan tripartite, but it's the wrong focus. The focus should be on the Afghanistan-Pakistan-India triangle.

How Washington Learned to Stop Worrying and Love India's Bomb

Dr. Ashton B. Carter — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0600

January 10, 2007

Carter's update to his July/August 2006 Foreign Affairs essay "America's New Strategic Partner?"

America's New Strategic Partner?

Dr. Ashton B. Carter — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 00:00:00 -0500

In 2006, the U.S. and Indian governments struck a deal that recognizes India as a nuclear weapons power. Critics say Washington gave up too much too soon and at a great cost to nonproliferation efforts. Perhaps. But India could in time become a valuable security partner. So despite the deal’s flaws and the uncertainties surrounding its implementation, Washington should move forward with it.

How Much Will India Endure?

Xenia Dormandy — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0500

July 12, 2006

Due largely to extensive, active and exhaustive mediation by central figures from the West, tensions were ratcheted down, and in time forces were demobilized.

Assessing the India Deal

Dr. Ashton B. Carter — Wed, 26 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0500

April 26, 2006

Dr. Ashton B. Carter testifies before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

The Evolution of U.S.-Indian Ties: Missile Defense in an Emerging Strategic Relationship

Ashley Tellis — Fri, 31 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0600

New challenges and threats have caused India to reverse its historical opposition to strategic defenses and embrace missile defense, much to the approval of the United States . This is one indication of the deepening bilateral relationship between these two nations that has become part of New Delhi 's broader efforts to defeat threats that might require such defenses in the future.

Bush in India: It's More Than Just Nuclear

Xenia Dormandy — Sun, 05 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0600

March 5, 2006

The advantage of the nuclear deal for India is straightforward: it represents India's best opportunity to obtain international cooperation on advancing much needed civilian nuclear power generation. The value for the United States of working with India to do so should also be clear.

A Fuel-Cycle Fix

Dr. Ashton B. Carter and Stephen A. LaMontagne — Sat, 31 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0600

A new international regime could stop nations before they enter the proliferation “red zone.”

The India Deal: Looking at the Big Picture

Dr. Ashton B. Carter — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 00:00:00 -0600

November 2, 2005

Dr. Ashton B. Carter testifies before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on the Implications for U.S. Nonproliferation Policy of the July 18, 2005 Joint Statement between President Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India

Panel: New Approaches for Addressing the Threat of WMD Proliferation

Dr. Ashton B. Carter — Fri, 21 Oct 2005 00:00:00 -0500

October 21, 2005

Remarks by Ashton B. Carter at the Conference on "Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction: Current Challenges and New Approaches," at Tufts University, Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy.

Nuclear Pact in Real Trouble

Thomas J. Wright — Sat, 07 May 2005 00:00:00 -0500

Could the World Be on the Path to a New Nuclear Crisis?

How to Stop Nuclear Terror

Graham Allison — Wed, 31 Dec 2003 00:00:00 -0600

President Bush has called nuclear terror the defining threat the United States now faces. He's right, but he has yet to follow up his words with actions. This is especially frustrating since nuclear terror is preventable. Washington needs a strategy based on the "Three No's": no loose nukes, no nascent nukes, and no new nuclear states.

FMCT and PAROS: A Chinese Perspective

Hui Zhang — Thu, 01 Aug 2002 00:00:00 -0500

"China has numerous serious security concerns about US space weaponization proposals and missile defense plans. These concerns would directly affect China's attitude toward the FMCT negotiations...."

Graham Allison and Andrei Kokoshin: A US-Russian Alliance Against Megaterrorism

Graham Allison — Fri, 16 Nov 2001 00:00:00 -0600

President Bush has warned the world that Osama bin Laden is ''seeking to develop weapons of mass destruction.'' To meet this threat, the United States and Russia should take the lead in establishing an Alliance Against Megaterrorism. What should have been a crowning achievement of this week's summit was sadly a missed opportunity.

Debating New Delhi's Nuclear Decision

Sumit Ganguly — Sat, 01 Apr 2000 00:00:00 -0600

The issue concludes with letters on two articles that appeared in the spring 1999 issue of International Security. First, one author counters several points made by the other author in his article "India's Pathway to Pokhran II." He responds.

For Synergy in Energy

Adinarayantampi Gopalakrishnan — Sat, 18 Mar 2000 00:00:00 -0600

Preventive Diplomacy and Preventive Defense in South Asia: The U.S. Role

Warren Christopher, David Hamburg and Dr. William J. Perry — Sun, 01 Aug 1999 00:00:00 -0500

Conference Report on the challenges of preventive diplomacy and preventive defense in South Asia.

India's Pathway to Pokhran II: The Prospects and Sources of New Delhi's Nuclear Weapons Program

Sumit Ganguly — Thu, 01 Apr 1999 00:00:00 -0600

May 1998 signaled a major turning point in the nuclear arms race in South Asia. The author cites three factors that combined in setting the stage for India's decision to detonate five nuclear devices on May 11 and 13.

Pakistan's Nuclear Weapons Program: Turning Points and Nuclear Choices

Samina Ahmed — Thu, 01 Apr 1999 00:00:00 -0600

The author examines Pakistan's motivations for responding to the Indian nuclear weapons tests with its own series of tests on May 28 and 30.

Issues of Nuclear Safety

Adinarayantampi Gopalakrishnan — Sat, 13 Mar 1999 00:00:00 -0600

Nuclear Dangers: Fear Increases of Terrorists Getting Hands on 'Loose' Warheads as Security Slips

Graham Allison — Sun, 19 Oct 1997 00:00:00 -0500

The box-office hit film "The Peacemaker" is a pulse-pounding spellbinder in which terrorists hijack nuclear weapons from Russia, smuggle one into the United States, and target New York City. Unfortunately, that make-believe scenario is a real-life worry.