Debating Potential Doctrinal Changes in India’s Nuclear Ambitions

Abstract

The Hindu right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made history by winning a clear majority in the 2014 Indian elections. The Party espouses updating and revising India‟s nuclear doctrine and making it relevant to the challenges of current times. Prospective change in the three central tenets of the nuclear doctrine – No First Use (NFU), threat of massive retaliation and a policy of Credible Minimum Deterrence (CMD) – will impact other areas as well. India‟s revision of its support for a nuclear-weapons-free world, moratorium on nuclear testing and the willingness to negotiate the Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT) would be problematic. This article examines the likely impact of possible revision in the stated Indian doctrine on deterrence stability and global nuclear politics.