ISLAMABAD: The Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) hosted a roundtable discussion on Tuesday titled "India's Sea-Based Nuclear Capabilities: Implications for Pakistan," bringing together defense and maritime experts to examine the strategic risks posed by India's growing undersea nuclear arsenal.
The event followed a recent report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which said India has deployed approximately 12 nuclear warheads aboard its nuclear submarines.
Speakers said the development marks a significant shift in South Asia's nuclear landscape, given that Pakistan and India have historically kept their nuclear weapons in an unmated, non-alert posture to avoid inadvertent use.
Malik Qasim Mustafa, Director, Arms Control and Disarmament Center at the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad, said deploying nuclear weapons signals a state's willingness to use them during a crisis.
"Availability of nuclear weapons in a deployed situation is very risky," he said, adding that deployed weapons "are meant to be used."
Mustafa warned that India's move amounts to a demonstration of second-strike capability and could heighten the risk of miscalculation, particularly given the brief window nations would have to respond during a crisis. He cited the Cuban Missile Crisis as a historical example of the dangers posed by alerted nuclear assets, warning that India is "trying to repeat that similar kind of policy in this region."
Air Cmdr Khalid Banuri (retd), a senior adviser at the Pakistan Air Force, told Pakistan TV Digital that India's deployment reflects deeper regional mistrust.
"They have deployed weapons, they do not have a great history, they have a history of arrogance and imposing wars," he said, adding that India maintains difficult relationships across the region, particularly with Pakistan, rooted in longstanding suspicion.
Dr Ahmed Saeed, a retired vice admiral and former president of the National Institute of Maritime Affairs, said the SIPRI findings represent the first confirmed instance of India stationing nuclear warheads at sea, creating new risks for Indian Ocean nations. He called on the international community to take notice of the trend.
"Pakistan, being a responsible state, has taken this very, very seriously, and we would like to highlight to the international community that they need to see this development and we need to curb this tendency of nuclearization of the Indian Ocean," he said.
Panelists said Pakistan intends to maintain its policy of credible minimum deterrence rather than pursue an arms race, while pursuing diplomatic, technical and military measures to safeguard regional stability. Speakers urged renewed dialogue between Islamabad and New Delhi to reduce the risk of miscalculation amid growing nuclear competition in the region.
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