Problems with the Non-Proliferation Regime on May 4, 2018For the 2020 NPT Review Conference, the Preparatory Committee is scheduled to hold its second session from 23 April to 4 May 2018 at the United Nations Office in Geneva. The prospects for the next review conference do not look particularly bright owing to the fact that Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) member states’ fail to reach […]
Keeping Pakistan’s nukes safe on March 29, 2018Pakistan has very recently conveyed to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) its intention to subscribe to the ‘Guidance on the Import and Export of Radioactive Sources’. This was at the end of Feb 2018 after which the IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano visited Pakistan and applauded efforts by the country to increase its nuclear […]
2018 nuclear posture review: a critical assessment on March 22, 2018The Nuclear Posture Review is a process that determines the role of nuclear weapons in the US security strategy for the future arena, and ensures that US nuclear policies are secure and its deterrence works effectively in countering threats. The recent review was met with mixed reactions from both national and international academics and policymakers. […]
India’s nuclear programme and non-proliferation regime on February 17, 2018The Indian nuclear programme is taking full advantage of the 2008 Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) decision under the US initiative to exempt New Delhi from the restrictions on the supply of nuclear fuel and equipment to non-NPT countries. The Indo-US civil nuclear agreement is an active exemplar in this regard that undermines the global non-proliferation […]
India’s Australia group membership and its regional implications on January 30, 2018After the ` and the Wassenaar Arrangement, the membership in another of the four major export control regimes is expected to give India an opportunity in its bid to secure a berth in the 48-members Nuclear Suppliers Group. Ironically, India managed to get into three of the export control cartels over the last two years, […]
NPT Review Conference 2020: prospects and challenges on January 24, 2018The NPT Review Conference is held after every five years since the treaty went into force in 1970. The Review Conference is structured to help member states review its performance and implementation for identifying the next steps in-line with the aims of the treaty. The Review Conferences usually endeavours to end with a substantive, consensus […]
Why Pakistan needs FSD capability on December 17, 2017Pakistan is pursuing Full Spectrum Deterrence (FSD) as part of its broader Credible Minimum Deterrence (CMD) philosophy. This is aimed at safeguarding against possible gaps in the country’s deterrence capability. What it is not directed at is seeking parity with India on the nuclear front. The National Command Authority, back in September 2013, gave full […]
NSC meeting: bleak chances of success on November 10, 2017With the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) Plenary meeting of June 2017 failure to come-up with a criteria for the inclusion of new states into the group of nuclear commerce, the Chair announced his willingness to meet again on the agenda in November 2017. The issue of ‘Technical, Legal and Political Aspects of the Participation of […]
Nuclear disarmament future looks bleak on October 5, 2017The failure of the Non-Proliferation Treaty’s (NPT) Review Conference to produce a document that enjoyed substantial consensus has convinced many Pakistani experts that the country’s leadership was on-point regarding its past nuclear decisions. The NPT Review Conference convenes every five years and has done so since coming into force back in 1970. This year’s moot […]
Indias mounting nuclear trade aspirations on September 12, 2017 The mounting political and strategic relationships among the countries have given birth to a new pattern of rising interactions with global forces. While analyzing India’s growing quest for multilateral export control regimes, it can be said that India has a unique history of its relationship withexport control cartels. The country that provided an idea […]