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{{Infobox government agency | |||
{{Infobox | |||
|agency_name = Nuclear Command Authority | |agency_name = Nuclear Command Authority | ||
|logo = Emblem of India.svg | |logo = Emblem of India.svg | ||
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|formed =2003 | |image= | ||
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|formed ={{start date|2003}} | |||
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|jurisdiction = [[Government of India]] | |jurisdiction = [[Government of India]] | ||
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The '''Nuclear Command Authority''' (NCA) of India is the authority responsible for command, control and operational decisions regarding [[India and weapons of mass destruction|India's nuclear weapons programme]].<ref name=zn28j13>{{cite news|title=Indian Army wants sole right over post of Strategic Forces Commander|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/indian-army-wants-sole-right-over-post-of-strategic-forces-commander_865310.html|access-date=30 July 2013|newspaper=Zee News|date=29 July 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110904170231/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/india-and-pakistan-to-have-nuclear-hotline-732980.html|archive-date=4 September 2011}}</ref> | The '''Nuclear Command Authority''' ('''NCA''') of India is the authority responsible for command, control and operational decisions regarding [[India and weapons of mass destruction|India's nuclear weapons programme]].<ref name=zn28j13>{{cite news|title=Indian Army wants sole right over post of Strategic Forces Commander|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/indian-army-wants-sole-right-over-post-of-strategic-forces-commander_865310.html|access-date=30 July 2013|newspaper=Zee News|date=29 July 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110904170231/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/india-and-pakistan-to-have-nuclear-hotline-732980.html|archive-date=4 September 2011}}</ref> It comprises a Political Council headed by the [[Prime Minister of India]] and an Executive Council headed by the [[National Security Advisor (India)|National Security Advisor]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=PIB Press Releases|url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/releases98/lyr2003/rjan2003/04012003/r040120033.html|access-date=2021-09-02|website=archive.pib.gov.in}}</ref> | ||
== Introduction == | == Introduction == | ||
{{see also|Nuclear power in India}} | {{see also|Nuclear power in India}} | ||
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 [[Pokhran-II|Operation Shakti]]. India has an extensive civil and military nuclear program, which includes at least 10 [[nuclear reactor]]s, [[uranium]] mining and milling sites, [[heavy water]] production facilities, a [[uranium enrichment]] plant, fuel fabrication facilities, and extensive nuclear research capabilities. | 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 [[Pokhran-II|Operation Shakti]]. India has an extensive civil and military nuclear program, which includes at least 10 [[nuclear reactor]]s, [[uranium]] mining and milling sites, [[heavy water]] production facilities, a [[uranium enrichment]] plant, fuel fabrication facilities, and extensive nuclear research capabilities. | ||
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{{main|Strategic Forces Command}} | {{main|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 | 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 either | ||
of the three tri-service high ranks in charge of the management and administration of the tactical and strategic nuclear forces.<ref name="Nuke command set up, button in PM's hand"/><ref name=zn28j13/> | |||
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. | 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. | ||
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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 missile|Prithvi]] and [[Agni missile|Agni]] missiles, although its extent and operational preparedness in this respect remains unclear. | 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 missile|Prithvi]] and [[Agni missile|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, | 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, single-stage 700 km range Agni-1 in 2001, the 3,000 km range three-stage Agni-3 in 2006, Agni-4 with a range of 4,000 km in 2011 and Agni-5 with a estimated range between 5,000 and 8,000 in the year 2012. The successor, Agni-6 is said to be under development with an speculated range of 10,000 km. | ||
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 | 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 airplanes. The [[Indian Armed Forces]] operates the [[Dassault Rafale]] which is capable of carrying out nuclear attacks. There are no open-source reports suggesting which if any of these planes have been equipped to deliver air-dropped atomic weapons. One or more of the following aircraft types might be used for this purpose. The [[MiG-27]] and the [[SEPECAT Jaguar|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 (missile)|Sagarika]]. | ||
==New Delhi-Islamabad nuclear hotline== | ==New Delhi-Islamabad nuclear hotline== | ||
{{Main|Islamabad–New Delhi hotline}} | {{Main|Islamabad–New Delhi hotline}} | ||
[[India]] and [[Pakistan]] set up their own [[ | [[India]] and [[Pakistan]] set up their own [[Moscow–Washington hotline|nuclear hotline]] on Sunday, 20 June 2004.<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/india-and-pakistan-to-have-nuclear-hotline-732980.html ''The Independent''—Monday, June 21, 2004--"India and Pakistan to Have Nuclear Hotline":] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110904170231/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/india-and-pakistan-to-have-nuclear-hotline-732980.html |date=4 September 2011 }}</ref> | ||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
; Integrated entities | ; Integrated entities | ||
* [[Defence Planning Committee]], tri-services command at policy level with NSA as its chief | * [[Defence Planning Committee]], tri-services command at policy level with NSA as its chief | ||
* [[Defence Cyber Agency]], tri-services command | |||
* [[Integrated Defence Staff]], tri-services command at strategic level composed of MoD, MEA and tri-services staff | * [[Integrated Defence Staff]], tri-services command at strategic level composed of MoD, MEA and tri-services staff | ||
* [[Armed Forces Special Operations Division]], tri-services command at operational level | * [[Armed Forces Special Operations Division]], tri-services command at operational level | ||