Nuclear Weapon Programmes of India and Pakistan: A Comparative Assessment

After the 1998 tests, both India and Pakistan possess nuclear weapons, weapon usable material and significant civilian and military nuclear infrastructure. Both are seriously engaged in revising their plans and refining their weapons and delivery systems. They are spending enormous sums on the production, deployment, targeting, defence, supervision and control of their nuclear weapons and delivery systems, as well as on the infrastructure that would generate the fissile material, warheads, aircraft, missiles and command and control systems necessary for their nuclear programmes. But they observe utmost secrecy in all these matters. Hence, it is very difficult to comparatively assess their nuclear programmes. Much of the available literature is speculative and unreliable, and requires careful examination. The article compares the two nuclear programmes in terms of their respective nuclearisation routes, motivations, weapons capabilities, inventories, nuclear doctrines, command and control and delivery systems.