National Security Doctrine for Global Reach continues....

Hence, it is essential to know the resources requirements of India’s nuclear defence system, and how India will fund the finances for it.

A nuclear weapon arsenal of adequate strength for second strike capability, should consist of at least 400 IRBM missiles fitted with nuclear bombs. Each such bomb will cost Rs. 1.5 crores, while the Agni missile [IRBM class] would require Rs. 15 crores each. That is, 400 IBRMs would carry a price tag of Rs. 6600 crores, plus Rs. 3500 crores for a Command, Control and Communications Centre, to monitor these missiles. This itself would cost the nation Rs. 10,100 crores. Even if we have the luxury of phasing this expenditure over two years, and before inflation and technological obsolescence overtakes this costing, the minimum per year for nuclear weaponisation would cost the nation Rs. 5050 crores. The total Defence budget provisions for fiscal 1999 for example is Rs. 5101 crores, i.e., just Rs. 50 crores more than the minimum outlay for a nuclear deterrent. Obviously the decision to weaponize the nuclear capability has yet to be translated practically in terms of funding.

Perusal of the Defence Budget documents, shows that the Government is committed to the implementation of Pay Commission recommendations and Pension augmentation for defence personnel, leaving less than Rs. 1500 crores for the Capital account. This is well below the required minimum of Rs. 5050 crores annually for nuclear weapons even if the Defence Ministry spent all of the capital account provision on it, leaving nothing for conventional weapons procurement.

Therefore, the political determination of making India a “nuclear weapons state”, and the claim that the Government have ordered a weaponization programme for the same, is so much hot air that should cool our adversaries, who must be reading the Indian Budget documents too.

An even more alarming picture emerges from the disaggregated capital accounts of the Budget for defence earmarked for procurement for Army, Navy and the Air Force. These allocations fall below Rs. 1500 crores as well.


to be continued.....

( This account is maintained by Har Anand Publication)