| ID | 072813 |
| Title Proper | India |
| Other Title Information | largest democracy and smallest debate? |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Rajagopalan, Rajesh |
| Publication | 2005. |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | India has been pursuing missile defences for a decade. Its missile defence programme is determined more by political than military imperatives, and it appears to be driven primarily by concerns about the threat posed by Pakistan's missile force, with little direct consideration of China. There is little indication that Indian decision-makers have thought through the kind of missile defence architecture that is needed for this emerging requirement, or the political implications of deploying a missile defence system. India's democratic polity has had little influence on decision-making on missile defences, though this is by itself not unusual since strategic policy has rarely invoked much interest or debate in India. But missile defences also sit uneasily with or even contradict other aspects of India's nuclear doctrine, and these contradictions have not yet been addressed. |
| `In' analytical Note | Contemporary Security Policy Vol. 26, No. 3; Dec 2005: p605-620 |
| Journal Source | Contemporary Security Policy Vol: 26 No 3 |
| Key Words | India ; Missile Defence ; Security Threats ; Strategic Policy ; Nuclear Doctrine |