Indias Nuclear Policy

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Indias Nuclear Policy

• David Schmich
• Mitch Michals

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Agenda of Topics

• Indias Nuclear Weapons Arsenal
• Indias Current Nuclear Weapon Policy
• Treaties India has or has not ratified

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Indias Nuclear Weapons Arsenal

• Last time reported 30-35 nuclear weapons.
• Actually confirmed more around 200 Nuclear
  Weapons.
• 75 assembled and ready to go
• 25 in sub-assembly and more weapons are planned.

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Indias Nuclear Weapons Arsenal

• Compared to other countries India ranks in the
  middle of the pack.
• 200 Nuclear Warheads nothing compared to US and
  Russia numbers in the 5,000-8,000 range.

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Indias Current Nuclear Policy

• Since 1999, India had adhered a strict no
  first-strike policy.
• Would only use nuclear weapon as retaliatory
  tool.
• During conflicts between India and Pakistan in
  2001 and 2002, India announced their weapons
  would have first-strike capability.

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Indias Current Nuclear Policy

• Indias government has been given the authority
  to issue a nuclear strike.
• Basically, the Prime Minister has his hand over
  the button to launch a nuclear weapon.

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International Treaties

• India is not a big fan of nuclear test treaties.
• In 1963, India adhered to the Partial Test Ban
  Treaty, the only treaty that is has agreed to.
• India is a member of the International Atomic
  Energy Agency (IAEA), and four of its 13 nuclear
  reactors are subject to IAEA safeguards

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International Treaties

• In 1996, India voted against the Comprehensive
  Test Ban Treaty voted on in the United Nations.
• Reasons for this are basically that India wants
  to stop nuclear testing but felt the wording of
  the treaty only banned certain tests.

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International Treaties

• In 1997, India did not ascede to the Nuclear
  Non-Proliferation Treaty.
• Reasons Felt the treaty gave a set of dos and
  donts and gave too many loopholes.

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International Treaties

• Controversially the United States is now willing
  to provide India access to civilian nuclear
  technology through the 2006 United States-India
  Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act.
• USA views India as a vital asset to the war on
  terror and testifies that there are those in the
  West who see nuclear energy as peaceful.