THE INDIA – PAKISTAN NUCLEAR RACE: A SIMPTOM OR A FUNDAMENTAL CAUSE OF TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO STATES?

THE INDIA – PAKISTAN NUCLEAR RACE: A SIMPTOM OR A FUNDAMENTAL CAUSE OF TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO STATES?

In May 1998 India’s new coalition government led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) conducted five nuclear tests. This was shortly responded by Pakistan with similar action, and the world realized that it received at once two new overt nuclear states. The nuclear tests were met with great popular celebration in the two countries and a big concern worldwide.
Why nuclear tests in 1998 took place? Brahma Chellany, Professor of Security Studies at the Centre for Policy Research in New Delhi puts three major motivations for India: non-proliferation pressures; Chinese nuclear capabilities; tension with Pakistan cooped with Pakistani developing nuclear capacity supported by China; and failure of Global nuclear disarmament . Brahma mentions, that ‘India has been a prime target of the CTBT and the proposed Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT). The two measures are part ...