Indian Counterforce Capabilities and the New Era of Preemption in South Asia

The new era of counterforce in the contemporary world could unfold itself as a new era of preemption in South Asia. It is characterised by increasing vulnerabilities in nuclear arsenals and delivery systems, however, prompting a vigorous development of countermeasures to mitigate these strategic vulnerabilities. India is increasing its counterforce capabilities considerably. Apart from improving its capabilities of target acquisition, accuracy of its delivery systems and reducing their time to hit the target, India is likely to make necessary shifts in its nuclear doctrine. These factors will provide India with the incentives for preemption against Pakistan in the future. The possibility of a counterforce strike can create instability in the region. To mitigate the threat posed by India's advancing counterforce capabilities, Pakistan should enhance its ISR capabilities, develop ASAT capabilities, improve missile accuracy and speed, and bolster survivability.