India's Nuclear Policies: One Year Later

The landslide victory of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India’s general election last year, following a decade of leadership by the Congress Party-led coalition, has prompted observers to speculate on the implications of this political shift across many policy areas. In particular, India’s nuclear policies and practices may be affected by the new BJP government.

The Proliferation Prevention Program is pleased to welcome Dr. R. Rajaraman, Emeritus Professor of Physics of Jawaharlal Nehru University and Co-Chairman of the International Panel on Fissile Materials, to CSIS headquarters on May 11th to hear his analysis of developments in both the strategic nuclear and civilian nuclear energy spheres in the last year. Dr. Rajaraman will address India’s projection of nuclear muscularity – specifically the status of “No First Use” and related features of the country’s strategic nuclear doctrine – and its relevance to Pakistan’s battlefield missiles and proxy warfare through terrorism. Dr. Rajaraman will also explore the outlook for India’s civilian nuclear energy cooperation, including developments with the United States, France and Russia, and the recent Nuclear Liability Act.