Nuclear Command Authority (India)

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Nuclear Command Authority

Agency overview
Formed 2003
Jurisdiction Indian government
Headquarters New Delhi
 Prime Minister Narendra
Agency
Modi
executive

The Nuclear Command Authority (NCA) of India is the authority responsible for command,
control and operational decisions regarding India's nuclear weapons programme.[1]

Contents
 1 Introduction
 2 Strategic Forces Command
 3 Delivery of weapons
 4 New Delhi-Islamabad nuclear hotline
 5 See also
 6 References

Introduction
See also: Nuclear power in India
Narendra Modi is the current Prime Minister of India and heads the NCA

India's first Nuclear test was conducted on 18 May 1974 with the code name Smiling Buddha.
Since then India has conducted another series of tests at the Pokhran test range in the state of
Rajasthan in 1998, which included a thermonuclear test, code named Operation Shakti. India has
an extensive civil and military nuclear program, which includes at least 10 nuclear reactors,
uranium mining and milling sites, heavy water production facilities, a uranium enrichment plant,
fuel fabrication facilities, and extensive nuclear research capabilities.

Though India has not made any official statements about the size of its nuclear arsenal, different
estimates indicate that India has anywhere between 100 and 200 nuclear weapons.[2][3]

On January 4, 2003, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) constituted the Political Council
and the Executive Council of the NCA. The Executive Council, chaired by National Security
Advisor (NSA) gives the inputs to the Political Council, which authorises a nuclear attack when
deemed necessary. The Political Council is chaired by the Prime Minister, and advised by the
Executive Council. This mechanism was implemented to ensure that Indian nukes remain firmly
in civilian control and that there exists a sophisticated Command and Control (C2) mechanism to
prevent their accidental or unauthorised use.[4]

Strategic Forces Command

Main article: Strategic Forces Command

The directives of the NCA are to be operationalised by the Strategic Forces Command under the
control of a Commander-in-Chief of the rank of Air Marshal (or its equivalent) in charge of the
management and administration of the tactical and strategic nuclear forces.[4][1]

The NCA may be seen as the first stage in the development of an effective and robust Command
and Control (C2) and Indications-and-Warning (I&W) systems and infrastructure for its strategic
nuclear forces.

Delivery of weapons
Main article: Indian nuclear weapon delivery systems
The current status of delivery systems for Indian nuclear weapons is unclear and highly
classified. India has developed and tested nuclear weapons that could be delivered on the Prithvi
and Agni missiles, although its extent and operational preparedness in this respect remains
unclear.

India first tested the 150 km range Prithvi-1 in 1988, and the 250 km range Prithvi-2 in 1996, and
the Prithvi missiles were inducted into the Indian armed forces by the early to mid 1990s. India
was slow to develop the Agni missiles. It first tested the Agni technology demonstrator in 1989,
the two-stage 2000 km range Agni-2 in 1999, and the one-stage 700 km range Agni-1 in 2001. It
first tested the 3,000 km range three-stage Agni-3 in 2006.

Since India had a few nuclear weapons prior to the availability of these missiles, especially the
Agni, it is probable that the current Indian nuclear weapons inventory includes weapons designed
for delivery using aeroplanes. One or more of the following aircraft types might be used for this
purpose. There are no open-source reports suggesting which if any of these planes have been
equipped to deliver air-dropped atomic weapons. The MiG-27 and the Jaguar were originally
designed to perform ground attack missions, and would require only modest modification to
deliver nuclear weapons. The Indian Air Force also operates several other older and less capable
types of ground-attack aircraft which would seem rather less likely candidates for delivering
nuclear weapons. The MiG-29, Sukhoi Su-30 MKI and Mirage 2000 were originally designed to
perform air-to-air combat missions, though they could potentially be modified to deliver air-
dropped nuclear weapons. Plans are also on for the delivery of nuclear weapons via the Arihant
class submarine using the SLBM/SLCM Sagarika.

New Delhi-Islamabad nuclear hotline

Main article: Islamabad–New Delhi hotline

India and Pakistan set up their own nuclear hotline on Sunday, June 20, 2004.[5] The hotline was
set up with the assistance of United States military officers.

See also
 Minimum Credible Deterrence
 Strategic Forces Command

References
1. "Indian Army wants sole right over post of Strategic Forces Commander". Zee News. 29
July 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
2. Norris, Robert S. and Hans M. Kristensen. "India's nuclear forces, 2005," Bulletin of the
Atomic Scientists 61:5 (September/October 2005): 73–75.
3. India's Nuclear Weapons Program - Present Capabilities
4. "Nuke command set up, button in PM's hand". Times of India. Jan 4, 2003. Retrieved 27
June 2012.
 5. The Independent—Monday, June 21, 2004--"India and Pakistan to Have Nuclear
Hotline":

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