Evaluating the Intersection of Technology and Nuclear Escalation in South Asia

Abstract

There are range of factors that are shaping nuclear issues in South Asia. Among these, India and Pakistan remain outside the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. Further, their religious conflicts, ethnic disputes, military confrontations and territorial disputes remain fierce and acute. The confluence of these factors means that when a crisis occurs, India and Pakistan are more likely to misjudge the situation due to poor communication, or to even face the use of tactical nuclear weapons. This essay examines the convergence of technology and nuclear escalation. It concludes by offering some conclusions about external powers that are often involved in the technological procurement and their both stabilising and destabilising impacts on South Asia. Keywords: Nuclear Escalation, Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, South Asia