Nuclear Doctrine and Deterrence Stability in South Asia

Abstract

South Asia possesses strategic importance as home to two nuclear-weapon states (NWS) and is also of interest to global powers. The U.S. and the former USSR were interested in expanding their influence in South Asia. After the Cold War, the war against terrorism again drew the attention of the U.S. to conduct military operations in Afghanistan. Pakistan and India received worldwide attention when both developed nuclear capabilities in May 1998 after adopting the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Consequently, the Kashmir dispute emerged as a nuclear flashpoint. In this paper, an investigation is carried out involving the role of nuclear doctrine required to establish deterrence stability in post-nuclearization South Asia.