Shehreyar Khan

Topic: Nuclear politics in South Asia lead to the worst situation MAD or the best scenario of
deterrence

Introduction Paragraph:

The worst enemy of a human is another human. No other species has threatened human beings
more than humans themselves. With understanding this bitter reality, social contract theory
explains that finally, humans realized that they need to live together in harmony for survival.
Later, state structures were formed, but still, a threat lingered due to the presence of other
human beings. Consequently, this resulted in the formation of the defense systems which
improved gradually with the passage of time. From simple weapons to the complex weapons
humans have improved their defense systems to limit the aggressions by other human beings.
Currently, the most powerful technology of mass destruction is so far accepted as the most
important security and deterrence. These weapons of mass destruction can either result in
mutually assured destruction or it can provide deterrence, but so far the world has seen that it
has been the most crucial factor in providing deterrence. Same is the case for the nuclear South
Asia where two nuclear giants -- Pakistan and India -- are in a continuous tussle with each other
due to long ideological disputes. Both the countries have fought some wars but till now no major
war has happened since both countries have acquired nuclear technology. Nuclear power has
been a deterrence to stop any serious physical confrontation between the two nations. Politically
both countries neglected any international pressures to shun the nuclear arsenals because
these weapons are crucial to providing deterrence against any possible aggression by the other
country. Therefore, nuclear politics in South Asia has been the best scenario so far for providing
deterrence for major wars.

Body Paragraph 1:

Nuclear politics in South Asia is an unending phenomenon because both Pakistan and India
have serious ideological conflicts that will always threaten the existence of each other. The
basic ideological conflict is based on religion. Both countries find religion as an important
identity and will never be separating their ways from religion thus the threat of war is perpetual.
Pakistan was founded on the basis of religion while India, on the other hand, is also a strong
religion following nation because the current political trends reflect Hindu dominance in the form
of victory of a religiously backed party BJP. Furthermore, both countries may find an existential
threat from each other at any time in the future. The reason is simple because religious
ideologies are always dominant and there is an air of hatred in both countries which the people
breath day in and day out. The very first demand of the people of both states is the end of this
existential threat which they sense from the other country. Therefore, there are skirmishes every
now and then. Also, line of control is always whistling with the sounds of bullets with every
breath considered as the last by the soldiers serving there to protect the lines. Although the
situation between the two countries is like a block of thin ice that can break at any instance
resulting in a major war, the rival nations do not go for major conflict because nuclear weapons
provide the deterrence that discourages them to avoid serious confrontations. Therefore,
nuclear politics is a powerful tool to keep the erupting war magma not to become lava.

Body Paragraph 2:

Nuclear politics has created a scene of peace overtly but covertly both nations are still busy in
different proxy wars to reach the dominant position in South Asia. The basic purpose of politics
at any stage is to reach the most powerful and dominant position. India is economically stronger
with excellent conventional military numbers but the possession of nuclear weapons by both
countries has put an end to military dominance. This makes both the countries equally powerful
in terms of military strengths as both have rare modern military technology -- nuclear weapons.
Both countries allegedly find the other to destabilize the other by using proxy war and funding
different insurgent elements. For Pakistan, it is stated that India is using Afghanistan to instigate
a civil war in Balochistan and KPK that can lead to the dismemberment of these regions from
Pakistan. Indian sponsored terrorism is always active in Pakistan to destabilize the country, as
per Pakistan. While India accuses Pakistan of the same sort of viruses spreading in Kashmir
where allegedly Pakistani backed freedom fighters are engaged in the emancipation of Kashmir
from India. Moreover, any terrorism event in India is directed linked to Pakistan. Therefore,
politics in the region is always leading towards a possible war but their steps are stopped as
they envisage the reality of the possession of nuclear weapons by the other state. This is what
is called a deterrence that makes a belligerent state think million times before taking any step
that would maim the next step and cause severe devastation.

Conclusion Paragraph:

In conclusion, both countries -- Pakistan and India -- are arch-rivals and eternal enemies
because the base of their animosity lies in their ideologies based on religion which makes it a
perceptual phenomenon. Both countries will always face existential threats from each other yet
cannot go for a major war because doing so would lead to devastating effects for both.
Moreover, both are involved in covert missions such as proxy wars and other tools to destabilize
the other country and to dominate South Asia. But going for a major war to crush the other is not
an option because both possess weapons of mass destruction -- nuclear weapons. These
weapons provide the needed deterrence which makes steps taken towards war stumble and
hobble. Therefore, nuclear politics in South Asia is providing the needed deterrence to keep the
peace needed in the region. Also, international pressures, many a time, make both the nations
to not go for any serious conflict because in case of a nuclear war the whole world can suffer
due to the consequences of such an unwanted event.