India and weapons of mass destruction
| India | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||
| Nuclear programme start date |
1967 | |||
| First nuclear weapon test |
18 May 1974 a | |||
| First fusion weapon test |
11 May 1998 b | |||
| Most recent test | 13 May 1998 | |||
| Largest-yield test | 20-60kt total c | |||
| Number of tests to date |
6 | |||
| Peak stockpile | 110 - 120 d | |||
| Current stockpile | 110 - 120 d | |||
| Maximum missile range |
5,000-5,800 km e (Agni-V) | |||
| NPT Party | No | |||
|
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India possesses weapons of mass destruction in the form of nuclear weapons and, in the past, chemical weapons. Though India has not made any official statements about the size of its nuclear arsenal, recent estimates suggest that India has 110 nuclear weapons consistent with earlier estimates that it had produced enough weapons-grade plutonium for up to 75–110 nuclear weapons. In 1999 India was estimated to have 800 kg of separated reactor-grade plutonium, with a total amount of 8300 kg of civilian plutonium, enough for approximately 1,000 nuclear weapons. India is not a signatory to the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which it argues entrenches the status quo of the existing nuclear weapons states whilst preventing general nuclear disarmament.
India has signed and ratified the Biological Weapons Convention and the Chemical Weapons Convention. India is also a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime and a subscribing state to the Hague Code of Conduct.
India has a well-developed biotechnology infrastructure that includes numerous pharmaceutical production facilities and bio-containment laboratories (including BSL-3 and BSL-4) for working with lethal pathogens. It also has highly qualified scientists with expertise in infectious diseases. Some of India's facilities are being used to support research and development for biological weapons (BW) defence purposes. India has ratified the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and pledges to abide by its obligations. There is no clear evidence, circumstantial or otherwise, that directly points toward an offensive BW program. India does possess the scientific capability and infrastructure to launch an offensive BW program, but has chosen not to do so. In terms of delivery, India also possesses the capability to produce aerosols and has numerous potential delivery systems ranging from crop dusters to sophisticated ballistic missiles.
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