With a salute from the horizon, we welcome Shishir Rao and "Sea-based Platforms in South Asia’s Nuclear Equation". Abstract: India’s imperatives for a sea-based nuclear deterrent arise from its need for strategic autonomy in the world order, which necessitates that its deterrence building is an incremental process until it can be at par with global agenda-setters. While India, not wanting to indulge in an arms race, is not pursuing deterrence by sheer numbers, it is certainly trying to achieve technologies that give it parity in the qualitative aspects of nuclear deterrence. On the other hand, Pakistan's imperatives stem from regional concerns and its survival imperative in positing India as the arch enemy in the domestic political arena. Pakistan seeks to maintain a deterrence relationship with India since it claims it views India’s global aspirations as a threat to its interests. India assures that any nuclear strike will be followed by massive retaliation. This may seem like a doomsday-esque scenario. However, a steady deterrence relationship has still been maintained in South Asia as a result of both India and Pakistan being rational actors and acknowledging that the nuclear weapon is a weapon of last resort. https://www.thedefencehorizon.org/post/sea-based-platforms-in-south-asia-s-nuclear-equation #WMDs #nuclear #securitypolicy #India #Pakistan #TDHJ https://www.instagram.com/p/CRGF2z0raEO/?utm_medium=tumblr