Science, Technology and Global Security Working Group

Promoting Nuclear Stability in South Asia

CONFERENCE ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN SOUTH ASIA

Promoting Nuclear Stability in South Asia is an ongoing effort to establish dialogs with analysts and policy makers in India and Pakistan on several issues related to nuclear stability in South Asia. Our initial trip to Pakistan and India in October 2005 was highly successful. During this trip, we presented a series of seminars and held discussions on the technical aspects of missile defense—which it seems is increasingly likely to be deployed in the region, a conceptual space-based missile launch surveillance system for nuclear risk-reduction, and weaponization of space. There are many aspects of these questions that have implications unique to the subcontinent and yet could benefit from Western experiences. The long-term stability of the region will depend on all the regional powers understanding the problems and the implications of their actions. We hope these dialogs will be one way India and Pakistan can start to address the multiple problems their status as nuclear powers presents.

Moving forward, we will continue to establish contacts with and among Indian, Pakistani, and Chinese scientists, arms control and security experts, government officials, and military leaders. We also plan to undertake projects jointly with scientists and others in these countries to carry out technical analyses of the capabilities and implications of actual or proposed weapons systems, shared missile launch warning system and crisis management, command and control, operations, custody chain, basing and accident avoidance issues for nuclear weapons; develop proposals for confidence building and transparency vis a vis nuclear weapons deployment in India, Pakistan, and China; brief high-level decision makers in India, Pakistan, and China including members of Parliament in India and Pakistan; publish joint articles of both scientific and popular nature and establish a website for disseminating information.

Selected Publications and Talks:

MIT Expert discusses US-India nuclear Pact

The US-India Nuclear Deal: Triumph of the Business Lobby

India Abroad October, 21, 2005

A Multinational Missile Launch Surveillance Network

Global Missile Launch Surveillance for Increasing Nuclear Stability

Reducing a Common Danger: Improving Russia's Early-Warning System