Waqar Hussain, Khurram Maqsood Ahmad, and Faiz ur Rehman
Mr Waqar Hussain is an MPhil student at Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.
Mr Khurram Maqsood Ahmad is a PhD candidate at the Department of International Relations, National Defence University, Islamabad.
Dr Faiz ur Rehman is Associate Professor at Degree College Dadyal, Mirpur.
DOI: http://DOI Number
Keywords: Regional Security Complex, nuclear arms race, South Asia, nuclear deterrence, Indian force postures, Pakistan
Abstract
South Asian security dynamics are characterised by divergent security goals of India and Pakistan. Pakistan developed nuclear weapons as a power balancer against India, which was at an advantageous position over Pakistan in terms of conventional weaponry and forces. As there exists a balance of power, thanks to the possession of nuclear weapons often referred to as the balance of terror, there is strategic stability in South Asia. However, this strategic stability comes at the expense of continued nuclear armaments and technology development by India and Pakistan. There is a peculiar nature of competition between India and Pakistan, which is different from the Cold War concept of the arms race. The study of historical patterns reveals that Pakistan’s nuclear developments are a response to those of India’s. On the other hand, Indian nuclear developments are aimed at developing deterrence against China. The result is that as India boosts its nuclear developments to achieve its minimum credible deterrence against China, for Pakistan it no more remains minimum and it has to go for qualitative and quantitative arms build-up. However, this relative pattern of nuclear arms developments is different from the arms race concept of the Cold War, where two great powers spent heavily on arms build[1]up to achieve hegemony. The strategic stability corresponds to deterrence stability and arms race stability. The purpose of this study is to analyse the trends of nuclear arms development by both India and Pakistan to analyse South Asian security complex characterised by nuclear weapons and foreign alliances. The study also analyses the arms development of India and Pakistan through the concept of the arms race.
First Published
December 25, 2018
How to Cite
Waqar Hussain, Khurram Maqsood Ahmad, and Faiz ur Rehman, “South Asian Security Complex and Nuclear Arms Race,” Regional Studies 36, no.4(Winter 2018): 109-131, https://regionalstudies.com.pk/wp/article/south-asian-security-complex-and-nuclear-arms-race/.
Issue
Volume 36, Issue 4