South Asia's Nuclear Security

The conditions and context under which nuclear deterrence is to function have drastically altered since the Cold War period. This book examines the dynamics of nuclear deterrence in the Second Nuclear Age. It focuses on South Asia, as it is the most dominant and, to some, the most dangerous case of contemporary nuclear stand-off, where deterrence can fail. It provides a thorough, up-to-date qualitative analysis of the South Asian nuclear deterrence and includes detailed explanations of the concept of nuclear deterrence and its variations, the problems of applying the idea in the context of South Asia, the nature of South Asiaa (TM)s deterrence stability, the nuclear postures of India and Pakistan, the dynamics and efficacies of pre-test and the post-test Indo-Pakistani nuclear deterrence, the role of confidence-building measures, and arms control in the Indo-Pakistani nuclear deterrence system. With novel explanations and fresh insights, this book sheds new light on nuclear deterrence in the Second Nuclear Age and is a timely and valuable contribution to the nuclear scholarship on South Asia.

Bhumitra Chakma is a Lecture in War and Security Studies at the Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Hull, UK.