Posted on 07/13/2017 7:30:51 PM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
India is estimated to have produced enough plutonium for 150-200 nuclear warheads, say US experts
WASHINGTON: India continues to modernise its atomic arsenal with an eye on China and the country's nuclear strategy which traditionally focused on Pakistan now appears to place increased emphasis on the Communist giant, two top American nuclear experts have said.
An article published in the July-August issue of the digital journal - After Midnight - has also claimed that India is now developing a missile which can target all of China from its bases in South India.
India is estimated to have produced enough plutonium for 150-200 nuclear warheads but has likely produced only 120-130, wrote Hans M Kristensen and Robert S Norris in the article - "Indian nuclear forces 2017".
India's nuclear strategy, which has traditionally focused on Pakistan, now appears to place increased emphasis on China, the two experts claimed. "While India has traditionally been focused on deterring Pakistan, its nuclear modernisation indicates that it is putting increased emphasis on its future strategic relationship with China," they wrote.
"That adjustment will result in significantly new capabilities being deployed over the next decade that may influence how India views nuclear weapons' role against Pakistan," they said.
Noting that India continues to modernise its nuclear arsenal with development of several new nuclear weapon systems, the two experts estimate that New Delhi currently operates seven nuclear-capable systems: two aircraft, four land-based ballistic missiles, and one sea-based ballistic missile.
"At least four more systems are in development. The development program is in a dynamic phase, with long-range land-and sea-based missiles emerging for possible deployment within the next decade," it said.
India is estimated to have produced approximately 600 kilograms of weapon-grade plutonium, sufficient for 150-200 nuclear warheads; however, not all the material has been converted into nuclear warheads, it said.
Based on available information about its nuclear-capable delivery force structure and strategy, we estimate that India has produced 120-130 nuclear warheads, the article said adding that the country will need more warheads to arm the new missiles it is currently developing.
Kristensen and Norris said that the two-stage, solid-fuel, rail-mobile Agni-2, an improvement on the Agni-1, which can deliver a nuclear or conventional warhead more than 2,000 kilometres is probably targeted on western, central, and southern China.
Although the Agni-4 will be capable of striking targets in nearly all of China from northeastern India (including Beijing and Shanghai), India is also developing the longer-range Agni-5, a three-stage, solid-fuel, rail-mobile, near-intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of delivering a warhead more than 5,000 kilometres (3,100-plus miles), it said.
"The extra range will allow the Indian military to establish Agni-5 bases in central and southern India, further away from China," the research article said.
China is surrounded by countries with nuclear missiles. And they did it to themselves.
Another reason for us to cut off India. While I don’t care for China, sad to see more countries, especially aggressive backward ones like India , who is no t an ally, build up such a stockpile.
Well...tossing one or two nukes at a populated area is one thing. Lighting off a few dozen will get your azz glassed.
The USA (and Russia) are all business when tossing nukes come in to play.
Don’t go there is the best advice.
I like and trust India a great deal more than I do China.
We need to make a lot of noise about greatly expanding trade with India....dump Chinese imports in favor of imports from India.
China would assume it was payback for their lack of help with NK...it might prompt China to cut Lil Kim’s throat which would be a bonus.
India can produce anything China can and perhaps at a better price.
The radioactive cloud will devastate our peoples’ respective health even without our forces making it worse. Only the Southern Hemisphere would be “spared” from even a small exchange.
The real question is if or how hot does a conventional war have to get before the US and Russia decide to prevent a nuclear escalation before it can happen and how much early warning will the ChiComs get from the likes of the DNC and it’s spy network so that it gets FUGLY fast?
Frankly, considering the latter, the holdover useful idiots of the old Soviet era now updated for the PC era, I cannot see the Russians even considering trusting America ... so with respect to the former I’m betting it’s everyone sits on their hands and hopes for the best.
India will be a greater counterbalance to Chinese expansionist activities in the coming years. Keep in mind India’s population will surpass China’s in the not too distant future.
How long after a China-India confrontation will the fallout reach Alaska and our west coast?
This link to a far left, antiwar site that uses declassified 1959 SAC targeting lists (thanks noBama) shows that weather patterns from nuclear blasts do not cross the Pacific Ocean in meaningful amounts. The map makers do not seem to consider the effects of European and Asian jet streams, so do not expect that this is anything but another fear mongering “stop all Western nukes” site.
Radiation may cross the Arctic in measurable amounts, but not as much as living with granite countertops.
Measurable radiation amounts are not at all the same as meaningful radiation amounts.
I wonder how China would feel about Japan announcing their own nuke program.
And South Korea.
And Taiwan.
Perhaps then they would get the hint.
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