NFU By India Should Not Be Taken For Granted
By
Colonel Awadhesh Kumar, Special Forces
There is a renewed international campaign for a global NFU and a new ‘No First Use Act’ is gaining momentum, therefore the Campaigners must first catch hold of Pakistan and make it utter NFU a million times and get its signature on the dotted line. There after they need to urge the USA for the same and others who are holding out on NFU.
India has always been advocating complete eradication of nuclear weapons from this world. So when no one listened then India too openly tested the weapons, just to tell the nuclear powers that they will not be permitted to have a monopoly over this. Thereafter In spite of developing its nuclear arsenal India maintained a policy of NFU. Though it seems that Pakistan has been taking this Indian policy of NFU as a weakness of Indian polity.
Now the recent cryptic remarks by shri Rajnath Singh, Raksha Mantri on India’s traditional policy of no first use (NFU) of nuclear weapons, has predictably shaken Pakistan. It is a clear warning to Pakistan that neither can it take India for granted nor can it attempt to black mail India by threat of use of nuclear weapons.
Though this remark of Shri Rajnath Singh has generated a debate both within the country and internationally. Now as a country we are very clear that if Pakistan keeps harping on first strike then India too will abandon NFU, specific to Pakistan. There are no compelling strategic and other reasons that would caution us against the abandonment of this policy specifically against Pakistan.
Raksha Mantri’s statement at Pokhran, stated that while today India stood by its NFU policy, circumstances would determine the future of our stand on the issue. It meant that India could give up NFU as part of its new foreign policy as a whole, or Just specific to Pakistan as per changed regional environment. Earlier in 2016, the then defence minister, Manohar Parrikar too questioned India’s decision to bind itself to the NFU principle.
NFU, certainly minimizes chances of a nuclear accidental war by allowing for a relatively relaxed posture and reduces cost of nuclear deployment. However with respect to Pakistan, it will be better if we have a preemptive strike policy. NFU against Pakistan in fact has been jeopardizing our security since long.
Therefore it will be a wise move to discard the NFU ideology of India’s nuclear doctrine specific to Pakistan. The world will then see India in a new light, a country which does not hesitate to take decision when required. The NFU policy against non nuclear powers and other nuclear powers will continue and will provide us the economic, social, political and international benefits.
NFU is defined as an unconditional commitment to never be the first one to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons or initiate a nuclear strike against an adversary (this excludes non state actors). This as the NFU principle was explicit in the draft nuclear doctrine of 1999. Since then to this absolutist position has been the fundamental commitment to NFU, which certainly requires a change with respect to Pakistan as it is becoming more of a Non State Actor.
India has always been advocating complete removal of nuclear weapons by every Country. Thus NFU is just a compromise formula with respect to other responsible nuclear powers. This NFU cannot be against irresponsible nuclear power like Pakistan. Revoking NFU against Pakistan will certainly not undermine India’s standing as a responsible nuclear power.
Clearly, the time has come to abandon the NFU policy specific to Pakistan. India should also work for a global treaty on NFU that includes all the de jure and de facto nuclear weapon powers. Till that time there will be no NFU against Pakistan.
It has to be made known to all that India will not appease or even assuage any hostile opinion from any country in the wake of refusal of NFU against Pakistan. Even after using nuclear weapons twice against humanity, if USA can remain a responsible nuclear power, then certainly India cannot become irresponsible by abandoning NFU against a rouge nuclear power like Pakistan.
