Why did India develop a nuclear weapon?
Why did India develop a nuclear weapon? It felt threatened by nuclear neighbour China, and by Pakistan’s development of a nuclear bomb. India and Pakistan carried out tit-for-tat tests in 1998 that were condemned internationally and sparked fears of a regional arms race. India’s emergence as a nuclear power enabled it for the first time to face off with China, and become a second Asian power. Conversely, Pakistan’s acquisition of nuclear weapons allowed it to stand up to India’s larger army. How powerful is India militarily? India has the second largest army in the world, with more than a million troops, and the fifth largest navy. It has more troops on active duty in Kashmir – more than 200,000 – than the total strength of the British Army. The fact that China has the world’s largest army shows how militarised Asia has become. For decades, India built up its military because of its rivalry with Pakistan, but kept a low profile in relation to its more dangerous rival, China. How are In
