Lectures of Opportunity: "India and Nuclear Asia: Forces, Doctrine, and Dangers"

About this lecture series

Lectures of Opportunity (LOOs) offer Naval War College (NWC) students, faculty, and staff an opportunity to learn more about national and international socio-political subjects that may be of relevance to the NWC community.

Synopsis

India's nuclear profile, doctrine, and practices have evolved rapidly since the country's nuclear breakout in 1998. However, India's subsequent doctrinal debates, forward-looking strategy, and technical developments have often been overlooked in strategic scholarship and planning. Building upon his recent book on this topic, the speaker will fill this gap in our knowledge by focusing on the post-1998 evolution of Indian nuclear thought, its arsenal, the triangular rivalry with Pakistan and China, and New Delhi's nonproliferation policy approaches. The speaker will show how India's nuclear trajectory has evolved in response to domestic, regional, and global drivers, and the effects of such developments on nuclear stability in Southern Asia.