.gif){kind=spacer}
Nuclear Command Authority (India)
Encyclopedia
The Nuclear Command Authority (NCA) of India is the nodal agency for all command, control and operational decisions regarding India's nuclear weapon stockpile
.
India's first Nuclear test was conducted on 18 May 1974. Since then India has conducted another series of tests at the Pokhran
test range in the state of Rajasthan
in 1998, which included a thermonuclear test. India has an extensive civil and military nuclear program, which includes at least 10 nuclear reactor
s, uranium
mining and milling sites, heavy water
production facilities, a uranium enrichment plant, fuel fabrication facilities, and extensive nuclear research capabilities.
Though India
has not made any official statements about the size of its nuclear arsenal, different estimates indicate that India has anywhere between 100 and 200 nuclear weapons
On January 4, 2003, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) constituted the Political Council and the Executive Council of the NCA. The Executive Council, chaired by National Security Advisor
(NSA) gives the inputs to the Political Council, which authorises a nuclear attack when deemed necessary. The Political Council is chaired by the Prime Minister
, and advised by the Executive Council, chaired by the NSA.
Their directives are to be operationalised by a new Strategic Forces Command
under the control of a Commander-in-Chief of the rank of Air Marshal
(or its equivalent) in charge of the management and administration of the tactical and strategic nuclear forces.
The NCA may be seen as the first stage in the development of an effective and robust Command and Control (C2) and Indications-and-Warning (I&W) systems and infrastructure for its strategic nuclear forces.
India
is the first nuclear weapons country to have a no first use
policy.
The current status of delivery systems for Indian nuclear weapons is unclear and highly classified. India has developed and tested nuclear weapons that could be delivered on the Prithvi
and Agni missiles, although its extent and operational preparedness in this respect remains unclear. Since India probably had nuclear weapons prior to the availability of these missiles, it is probable that the current Indian nuclear weapons inventory includes weapons designed for delivery using aircraft. One or more of the following aircraft types might be used for this purpose. There are no open-source reports suggesting which if any of these aircraft have been equipped to deliver air-dropped atomic weapons. The MiG-27 and the Jaguar
were originally designed to perform ground attack missions, and would require only modest modification to deliver nuclear weapons. The Indian Air Force
also operates several other older and less capable types of ground-attack aircraft which would seem rather less likely candidates for delivering nuclear weapons. The MiG-29, Su-30 and Mirage 2000 were originally designed to perform air-to-air combat missions, though they could potentially be modified to deliver air-dropped nuclear weapons. Plans are also on for the delivery of nuclear weapons via the Advanced Technology Vessel
using the SLBM/SLCM
Sagarika
.
and Pakistan
set up their own nuclear hotline on Sunday, June 20, 2004. The hotline was set up with the assistance of United States military officers.
India and weapons of mass destruction
India possesses nuclear weapons and maintains short- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles, nuclear-capable aircraft, surface ships, and submarines under development as possible delivery systems and platforms...
.
Introduction
Pokhran
Pokhran is a city and a municipality located in Jaisalmer district in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is a remote location in the Thar Desert region and served as the test site for India's first underground nuclear weapon detonation.-Geography:Pokhran http://marupradesh.org/ located at...
test range in the state of Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
in 1998, which included a thermonuclear test. India has an extensive civil and military nuclear program, which includes at least 10 nuclear reactor
Nuclear reactor
A nuclear reactor is a device to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Most commonly they are used for generating electricity and for the propulsion of ships. Usually heat from nuclear fission is passed to a working fluid , which runs through turbines that power either ship's...
s, uranium
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
mining and milling sites, heavy water
Heavy water
Heavy water is water highly enriched in the hydrogen isotope deuterium; e.g., heavy water used in CANDU reactors is 99.75% enriched by hydrogen atom-fraction...
production facilities, a uranium enrichment plant, fuel fabrication facilities, and extensive nuclear research capabilities.
Though India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
has not made any official statements about the size of its nuclear arsenal, different estimates indicate that India has anywhere between 100 and 200 nuclear weapons
On January 4, 2003, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) constituted the Political Council and the Executive Council of the NCA. The Executive Council, chaired by National Security Advisor
National Security Advisor (India)
The National Security Advisor of India is a member of the National Security Council , and the primary advisor to the Prime Minister, the Indian Cabinet and the NSC on internal and international security issues.-Overview:...
(NSA) gives the inputs to the Political Council, which authorises a nuclear attack when deemed necessary. The Political Council is chaired by the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
, and advised by the Executive Council, chaired by the NSA.
Their directives are to be operationalised by a new Strategic Forces Command
Strategic Forces Command
The Indian Strategic Forces Command , sometimes called The Strategic Nuclear Command forms part of India's Nuclear Command Authority . It is responsible for the management and administration of the country's tactical and strategic nuclear weapons stockpile...
under the control of a Commander-in-Chief of the rank of Air Marshal
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
(or its equivalent) in charge of the management and administration of the tactical and strategic nuclear forces.
The NCA may be seen as the first stage in the development of an effective and robust Command and Control (C2) and Indications-and-Warning (I&W) systems and infrastructure for its strategic nuclear forces.
India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
is the first nuclear weapons country to have a no first use
No first use
No first use refers to a pledge or a policy by a nuclear power not to use nuclear weapons as a means of warfare unless first attacked by an adversary using nuclear weapons...
policy.
Delivery of weapons
- Main article: Indian nuclear weapon delivery systems
The current status of delivery systems for Indian nuclear weapons is unclear and highly classified. India has developed and tested nuclear weapons that could be delivered on the Prithvi
Prithvi missile
Prithvi is a tactical surface-to-surface short-range ballistic missile developed by DRDO of India under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program.- Development and History :...
and Agni missiles, although its extent and operational preparedness in this respect remains unclear. Since India probably had nuclear weapons prior to the availability of these missiles, it is probable that the current Indian nuclear weapons inventory includes weapons designed for delivery using aircraft. One or more of the following aircraft types might be used for this purpose. There are no open-source reports suggesting which if any of these aircraft have been equipped to deliver air-dropped atomic weapons. The MiG-27 and the Jaguar
SEPECAT Jaguar
The SEPECAT Jaguar is an Anglo-French jet ground attack aircraft, originally used by the British Royal Air Force and the French Armée de l'Air in the close air support and nuclear strike role, and still in service with several export customers, notably the Indian Air Force and the Royal Air Force...
were originally designed to perform ground attack missions, and would require only modest modification to deliver nuclear weapons. The Indian Air Force
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
also operates several other older and less capable types of ground-attack aircraft which would seem rather less likely candidates for delivering nuclear weapons. The MiG-29, Su-30 and Mirage 2000 were originally designed to perform air-to-air combat missions, though they could potentially be modified to deliver air-dropped nuclear weapons. Plans are also on for the delivery of nuclear weapons via the Advanced Technology Vessel
Advanced Technology Vessel
The Arihant class submarines are nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines being developed for the Indian Navy. The was introduced to the public on July 26, 2009 at a symbolic launch ceremony, which consisted of floating it by flooding the dry dock. The Arihant class is India's first...
using the SLBM/SLCM
SLCM
Submarine-Launched Cruise Missile or SLCMs are cruise missiles that deliver conventional and/or nuclear payloads and are launched from ships or submarines. Current versions are typically standoff weapons which are used to attack predetermined land targets.Four US Navy ballistic missile submarines ...
Sagarika
Sagarika
K-15 Sagarika is a nuclear-capable submarine launched ballistic missile with a range of .-Development:...
.
New Delhi-Islamabad nuclear hotline
IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
set up their own nuclear hotline on Sunday, June 20, 2004. The hotline was set up with the assistance of United States military officers.
See also
- Minimum Credible DeterrenceMinimum Credible DeterrenceCredible Minimum Deterrence is the principle on which India's nuclear doctrine is based.It underlines no first use with a second strike capability, and falls under minimal deterrence as opposed to mutually assured destruction...
- Strategic Forces CommandStrategic Forces CommandThe Indian Strategic Forces Command , sometimes called The Strategic Nuclear Command forms part of India's Nuclear Command Authority . It is responsible for the management and administration of the country's tactical and strategic nuclear weapons stockpile...