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India may expand nuclear program, says top adviser
INDIA could expand its nuclear arsenal to ensure a ''minimum deterrent'' if other nuclear powers increase their stockpile of warheads, an architect of the country's nuclear weapons program says.
Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, a former president and a key player in India's controversial 1998 nuclear test, said his nation needed weapons of mass destruction because ''strength respects strength''.
''Nuclear weapons spread to our borders, our neighbours were all getting nuclear weapons so we needed them,'' he said in an interview with the Herald. ''On all sides around us, other nations had nuclear weapons so we have them for deterrent, for self defence.''
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Dr Kalam said India only wanted a ''minimum deterrent'' and was not in competition with its nuclear-armed neighbours Pakistan and China. However, when asked whether the stockpile of warheads needed for a minimum deterrent should rise if other countries increased their nuclear weapons capacity, Dr Kalam said: ''Yes, the deterrent is always reviewed with reference to the world situation.''
India is estimated to have 60 to 80 nuclear weapons.
Some analysts say Pakistan has the fastest growing nuclear arsenal in the world. There are fears this will force India to increase its stockpile and trigger a fresh nuclear arms race in the volatile south Asia region.
A former CIA officer and south Asia expert, Bruce Riedel, has warned Pakistan is close to overtaking Britain to become the world's fifth biggest nuclear weapons state and is on track to overtake France to become No.4 behind the US, Russia and China by the end of the decade.
Mr Riedel believes India has held back so far, but predicts Delhi will come under increasing pressure to produce more warheads if Pakistan's stockpile continues to grow.
The Australian government bans uranium exports to India because it is not a signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. But Dr Kalam, who is here as a guest of Sydney University, has urged Australia to co-operate with India in the development of nuclear reactors that use thorium instead of uranium to produce electricity.
''Australia has got tremendous reserves of thorium, a future material for replacing uranium,'' he said. ''It is cost-effective and [produces] less radiation "¦ India and Australia can work together in building a thorium-based nuclear reactor for the world market.''
India is trying to develop a thorium-based nuclear reactor but Dr Kalam said this would ''take some time''.
Dr Kalam, who was the principal scientific adviser to the government before serving as president from 2002 to 2007, enjoys rock-star status in India. An expert in missile technology, he was instrumental in the weaponisation of the nuclear program and also contributed to the space program.
The University of Sydney awarded Dr Kalam his 41st honorary doctorate yesterday.
Read more: India may expand nuclear program, says top adviser
INDIA could expand its nuclear arsenal to ensure a ''minimum deterrent'' if other nuclear powers increase their stockpile of warheads, an architect of the country's nuclear weapons program says.
Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, a former president and a key player in India's controversial 1998 nuclear test, said his nation needed weapons of mass destruction because ''strength respects strength''.
''Nuclear weapons spread to our borders, our neighbours were all getting nuclear weapons so we needed them,'' he said in an interview with the Herald. ''On all sides around us, other nations had nuclear weapons so we have them for deterrent, for self defence.''
Advertisement: Story continues below
Dr Kalam said India only wanted a ''minimum deterrent'' and was not in competition with its nuclear-armed neighbours Pakistan and China. However, when asked whether the stockpile of warheads needed for a minimum deterrent should rise if other countries increased their nuclear weapons capacity, Dr Kalam said: ''Yes, the deterrent is always reviewed with reference to the world situation.''
India is estimated to have 60 to 80 nuclear weapons.
Some analysts say Pakistan has the fastest growing nuclear arsenal in the world. There are fears this will force India to increase its stockpile and trigger a fresh nuclear arms race in the volatile south Asia region.
A former CIA officer and south Asia expert, Bruce Riedel, has warned Pakistan is close to overtaking Britain to become the world's fifth biggest nuclear weapons state and is on track to overtake France to become No.4 behind the US, Russia and China by the end of the decade.
Mr Riedel believes India has held back so far, but predicts Delhi will come under increasing pressure to produce more warheads if Pakistan's stockpile continues to grow.
The Australian government bans uranium exports to India because it is not a signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. But Dr Kalam, who is here as a guest of Sydney University, has urged Australia to co-operate with India in the development of nuclear reactors that use thorium instead of uranium to produce electricity.
''Australia has got tremendous reserves of thorium, a future material for replacing uranium,'' he said. ''It is cost-effective and [produces] less radiation "¦ India and Australia can work together in building a thorium-based nuclear reactor for the world market.''
India is trying to develop a thorium-based nuclear reactor but Dr Kalam said this would ''take some time''.
Dr Kalam, who was the principal scientific adviser to the government before serving as president from 2002 to 2007, enjoys rock-star status in India. An expert in missile technology, he was instrumental in the weaponisation of the nuclear program and also contributed to the space program.
The University of Sydney awarded Dr Kalam his 41st honorary doctorate yesterday.
Read more: India may expand nuclear program, says top adviser
