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India's Emerging Nuclear Posture: Between Recessed

Deterrent and Ready Arsenal
Ashley J. Tellis
BOOK
OCTOBER 13, 2001 RAND CORPORATION

This book examines the forcespolitical, strategic, technological, and ideationalthat led to India's dramatic nuclear policy shift and describes how
New Delhi's force-in-being will be fashioned, particularly in light of the threat India faces from its two most salient adversaries, China, and Pakistan.
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On May 11, 1998, after a hiatus of more than two decades, India conducted a series of nuclear tests that signaled a critical shift in its strategic thinking.
Once content to embrace a nuclear posture consisting largely of "maintaining the option"i.e., neither creating a nuclear arsenal nor renouncing its right
to do soIndia is now on the threshold of adopting a posture that, while stopping short of creating a ready arsenal, will take as its goal the
establishment of a "minimum but credible deterrent," known as a "force-in-being." India's Emerging Nuclear Posture: Between Recessed Deterrent
and Ready Arsenal examines the forcespolitical, strategic, technological, and ideationalthat led to this dramatic policy shift and describes how

3/10/2015 7:08 PM

India's Emerging Nuclear Posture: Between Recessed Deterrent and Ready Arsenal - Carnegie E...

2 of 5

http://carnegieendowment.org/2001/10/13/india-s-emerging-nuclear-posture-between-recessed-d...

New Delhi's force-in-being will be fashioned, particularly in light of the threat India faces from its two most salient adversaries, China, and Pakistan.

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About the Nuclear Policy Program

The Carnegie Nuclear Policy Program is an internationally acclaimed source of expertise and policy thinking on nuclear industry, nonproliferation,
security, and disarmament. Its multinational staff stays at the forefront of nuclear policy issues in the United States, Russia, China, Northeast Asia,
South Asia, and the Middle East.

About the South Asia Program

The Carnegie South Asia Program informs policy debates relating to the regions security, economy, and political development. From the war in
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