Weapons of Mass Destruction Transfers in Asia

Weapons of mass destruction are spreading in the Asian region. Five countries in the region have nuclear weapons while some more are in the process of acquiring such capabilities. Several of them either have or are in the process of acquiring capabilities in ballistic missiles, chemical and biological weapons or technologies. Vertical or horizontal transfers to some extent have helped these states to acquire WMD. A number of arms control and disarmament measures and regimes have come up from concerned individuals, social groups and institutions at the national, regional and global levels to address this issue. No major escalation control procedures, specifically in nuclear or missile launches, nor ‘de-targeting’ or ‘non-targeting’ agreements exist between Asian states. As risk factors increase in post September 11 world, different solutions were offered by several countries. While the western countries succeeded in evolving mechanisms between NATO and Warsaw Pact countries on nuclear CBMs, Asia still lacks any pan-regional monitoring agency to reflect on or curb WMD transfers.