India's Nuclear Security [Hardcover]

Raju G. C. Thomas (Editor), Amit Gupta (Editor)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 325 pages
• Publisher: Lynne Rienner Pub (August 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1555879284
• ISBN-13: 978-1555879280
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,197,699 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More Proliferation?, August 8, 2003

By 

W Boudville (Terra, Sol 3) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: India's Nuclear Security (Hardcover)

With India's detonation of several fission bombs in the late 90s, and the subsequent matching of these tests by Pakistan, the danger of nuclear war in South Asia became very real. Much discussion soon followed in the US and elsewhere. This book expands on that, with papers by distinguished authors on many aspects of India's strategic policies. The biggest focus is of course vis-a-vis Pakistan's military doctrine and the hazards of both stumbling into war with inadequate controls of their stockpiles. There are also secondary issues, like India wanting a deterrence against a nuclear-armed China whose economy is also growing faster. The Indian space program is also seen in a different light, after their tests. Now, it offers not just prestige value, but also a complement to the tests, giving India an indigenous missile delivery capability.

If you are interested in the issue of nuclear proliferation, then I recommend this book. Its analyses of South Asia go well beyond those in a typical magazine or newspaper.

Americans may also be interested in this book for a more specific reason. Pakistan has amassed several nuclear weapons, to counter India. But Pakistan also has millions of admirers of Osama bin Laden. The government has imperfect control over the country. It is a fear of American strategists that terrorists might be able to "access" the Pakistani arsenal. If so, the effects could be far more deleterious than a few hijacked planes.