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NuClearly Put - Is More Nuclear Testing a
3 October 2023
Summary
Doubts were cast on the veracity of the results announced on the thermonuclear yield of the test. [...] Meanwhile, three reasons have been given for keeping a low yield of the thermonuclear weapon: one, the geological structure of the testing range; second, the fact that the existing shafts could not be dug any deeper for fear of detection (a task that would have been necessary if a greater yield was to be obtained); and third, the villages close to the test site had to be protected against possible. [...] Should India’s deterrence not be considered credible in the absence of megaton weapons? Do larger yield weapons deter more? Appeal of Thermonuclear Weapons and the Indian Context The appeal of thermonuclear weapons primarily lies in the economy of fissile material, their compact size and relative ease of delivery. [...] Firstly, doubts raised on the credibility of India’s nuclear deterrence purely on the basis of the difference between fission and fusion or kiloton and megaton weapons tend to overlook the regional reality of high densities of population in today’s megacities. [...] This was reiterated in 2008 in the context of the conclusion of the Indo-US nuclear agreement.
