Nuclear Security Governance in India: Institutions, Instruments, and Culture (2019)

Abstract

Nuclear security has gained a great deal of prominence in the recent past thanks to high-level international political attention − especially during the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) process. India has been an enthusiastic participant in the NSS initiative and is currently in the process of adopting measures to strengthen and enhance its nuclear security governance structures. India’s nuclear security culture is based on the beliefs that a credible threat exists and that nuclear security is important; and that the various recent global initiatives on nuclear security are also in India’s own interest. The imperatives of ensuring greater nuclear security in India lies, first of all, in the fact that the country has embarked on an ambitious civil nuclear expansion plan. Secondly, it has a fairly large, dispersed countrywide, nuclear infrastructure that needs to be secured adequately. Thirdly, radiological materials are used in many sectors and chances of their misuse or misappropriation cannot be completely ruled out. Above all, India is situated in a volatile region, and hence, vulnerable to nuclear terrorism. Therefore, this study takes a comprehensive look at India’s approach to nuclear security, in general, and critically examines the physical security measures that the country has put in place. Particular focus is placed on the evolution and strengths, as well as weaknesses, of the country’s nuclear security institutions, instruments, practices, and culture. Given that the strengthening of India’s nuclear security governance is an ongoing endeavour, the paper also puts forward a number of policy recommendations.