Nuclear Doctrine

NUCLEAR DOCTRINE

A nuclear doctrine of any nuclear weapon country includes the aims and missions that guide that country’s deployment and employment of nuclear weapons throughout peacetime and wartime.

The primary purposes of a nuclear doctrine are often deterrence, target destruction, assurance of allies and a hedge against an uncertain future.

History

• Homi J. Bhabha supervised India’s nuclear effort, which began in the late 1940s.

• Nehru opposed nuclear weapons and pleaded with the superpowers for complete nuclear disarmament. However, the nuclear arsenal grew.

When Communist China conducted nuclear tests in October 1964, the five nuclear powers (the United States, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, France, and China), as well as the five Permanent Members of the United Nations Security Council, seeked to impose the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) on the rest of the world.

India’s Nuclear Doctrine

In 1998, India proclaimed itself a nuclear weapon state and

introduced the Nuclear Doctrine in 2003.

The foundation of India’s nuclear doctrine is on the idea that the government will only use nuclear weapons in retaliation for any attempt by any nation to attack India, its states, or its armed forces. In general, nuclear doctrine refers to the employment of nuclear weapons by a nation both during times of peace and conflict.

Three major pillars form the foundation of India’s Nuclear Doctrine

• No first use: India follows a no-first-use policy when it comes to nuclear weapons. The no-first-use and deterrence theories are mutually reinforcing. Any first aggressive use of nuclear weapons will be an indication and admission that deterrence has failed and that using such weapons was the only alternative available to the country.

• Credible minimum deterrent: The concept of a minimum nuclear deterrent entails sufficient survivable and operationally prepared nuclear forces, a robust command and control system, effective intelligence and early warning capabilities, and comprehensive planning and operational training in accordance with the strategy and willingness to use nuclear weapons and forces.

• Nuclear command authority (NCA): On 4th January 2003, India unveiled a 3-tier Nuclear Command Authority (NCA) to manage its nuclear weapons; political council, executive council and strategic forces command. This broad framework was given a green flag on the nuclear doctrine prepared by the National Security Board.

All other doctrine components, such as survivability, strategic trend, punitive retribution in quick response, and transition from peacetime deployment to fully employable forces in the shortest amount of time, are strictly mathematical derivations of the three basic principles listed above.

The Indian nuclear doctrine is the most responsible, with the goal of providing a minimum credible deterrence. It is a consensus document that does not preclude the country from using its nuclear weapons in any way. It provides complete flexibility in determining the amount of nuclear weapons India should have.

India’s Nuclear Test

Regarding the Pokhran-I Nuclear Test:

• Scientist Raja Ramanna was the first to direct a small group of scientists that coordinated and conducted the test. He also expanded and coordinated scientific research on nuclear weapons.

• On May 18, 1974, a test known as “Smiling Buddha” was carried out on Buddha Purnima.

• The bomb went off in the Pokhran Test Range, an army outpost in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.

• It was the country’s first verified nuclear test and the first conducted by a non-permanent member of the UN Security

Council (UNSC).

Additional nuclear tests

• Following the 1974 tests, India conducted five tests: Three on May 11 and two on May 13, 1998.

• The tests designated ‘Operation Shakti’/Pokhran-II were repeated at the Pokhran test range.

• Following Pokhran-II, the Indian leadership capitalized on the political utility of its actions, which drew international censure and penalties while simultaneously creating political space for and providing strategic autonomy to India’s decision-making.

• For example, the Indo-US nuclear pact (2008) laid the groundwork for the strategic alliance that currently includes

high-tech cooperation ranging from defense to artificial intelligence.

Challenges to India’s Nuclear Doctrine

• Domestic Concerns

• India is still developing its nuclear triad.

• With an estimated 3,500 km range, Agni IV has now been introduced to the land-based missile army.

• It is anticipated that Agni V and Agni VI will increase the ranges to over 6,000 kilometers.

• Technology-related challenges

Indianeeds    to        takeinto        account    technical advancements that may affect the validity of its deterrent.

The distinction between nuclear and conventional systems is becoming more hazy due to the growing employment of dual-purpose weapons such cruise missiles, hypersonics and conventional precision global strike weapons.

• Challenges to diplomacy from the outside

• After completing nuclear testing in 1998, India faced the problem of being accepted as a responsible nuclear country.

Way Forward

• Nuclear disarmament: India should keep working toward this objective by interacting diplomatically with other nations and international organizations.

• Non-proliferation: India should keep pushing to make the international non-proliferation framework stronger and stop the proliferation of nuclear technology and weapons.

• Development of nuclear energy:Increasing the program to produce more nuclear energy to fulfil the world’s expanding energy needs while taking robust precautions against the spread of nuclear weapons technology and accidents.

• Regional security: In order to maintain regional security, India should also keep up its deterrence strategy. At the same time, it should communicate and take steps to foster confidence with its neighbors in order to ease tensions and advance regional stability.

Conclusion

India has made significant progress in resolving its diplomatic concerns abroad since the 1998 nuclear tests. The advancement has been largely attributed to India’s steady nuclear policy. But India’s policies will have to be adjusted frequently to meet the new challenges of the twenty-first century.